I LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. | 



Shelf r *JwS — - 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



F: 



THE 

F R A IT O S 

OF 

MONKS AND PRIESTS? 

SHEWING 

The abominable Deceptions and Practices 

OF THE 

CHURCH OF ROME, 
MY */$ WRMNCHMAN, 

Who was formerly" a Monk, but afterwards becam 
A CONVERT 

TO THE PROTESTANT RELIGION* 

IN EIGHT LETTERS. 
<g>£tonti ISfcition* 

TIE-PUBLISHED BF ****** * 

• LONDON: 

RE-PRINTED BY G. PIGOTT, 60, OLD STREET. 
1821. 




I/IBRARY 
WASHINGTON 



TO THE READER. 



THE following Book, which I presume is 
quite out of print, was given me abroad; and as 
the matter it contains, though very curious, is, I 
have every reason to believe, absolutely fact, which 
1 know by an experience of twenty-eight years. 
I thought it a pity it should be lost to posterity; I 
have therefore got it re-printed, and hope it will 
amuse, instruct, and inform many of its readers. 



THE 



FRAUDS 

OF 

ROMISH MONKS A.YD PRIESTS, 

IN 

EIGHT LETTERS- 

LETTER L— OF RELICS, &e. 

"V^OU have not forgot, Sir, that in the last con-* 
versation we had together in France upon the 
account of Religion, I made you acknowledge, that 
the Protest ant Relic/ion was more suitable to reason, 
than the Romish, which you profess. It is true, 
that by an evasion more subtle than solid, you was 
pleased to call that reason, human reason support- 
ed by sense, which you said, was the rock on which 
the purity of faith commonly splits and suffers ship- 
wreck; and that you desired faith to be the foun- 
dation of your religion, with exclusion of every 
thing else ; and as you (with your divines) freely 
owned an hundred several miracles in transubstan- 
tiation, you were pleased to tell me, that that was a 
mystery of faith, which ought rather to be humbly 
adored, than rashly pried into. Whereupon, when 
I took the liberty to tell you, that in the mean time, 
forasmuch as my reason was given me by God, to 
make use of it in searching* out the truth, I could 
not but think it hard, to reject the light it offers, 

B seeing 



% THE FIRST LETTER, 

seeing that without it I was like one, who being 
fallen into a deep water, and finding no bottom to 
foot upon, is drowned and lost. You replied, that 
if I inclined to follow reason, you would soon fur- 
nish me with guides able to satisfy an honest mind ; 
and that I needed only to cast my eye on so many 
learned men, both Monks and Priests, who are the 
light of the world, the main props and pillars of 
the Church, who by the integrity of their fives, and 
the purity of their doctrine, uphold the temple of 
God here upon earth ; that it was morally impossi- 
ble, that so many learned men should all of them 
be involved in error; and the agreeing consent of 
so many excellent spirits appeared to you a suffici- 
ently firm foundation to establish and fix a reason- 
able mind. You proceeded to speak to me with ear- 
nestness, of the modesty that becomes those who 
have only a mean capacity; which, you know, I was 
so far from being offended at, that on the contrary, 
as being better than any one else acquainted with 
my own mediocrity, I thanked you for your advice; 
adding, that how useful otherwise it might be, yet 
ought it not to stop me in my search after truth. 
And forasmuch as some time after, partly out of 
devotion, and partly out of curiosity, I happenned 
to undertake a voyage into Italy, and upon that 
occasion calling' to mind how in' my scruples about 
religion you referred me to your Priests and Monks, 
1 made it my business, more than otherwise I would 
have- done, to examine their life and conduct, to try 
whether I could find them a sufficient and rational 
foundation, as you pretend, to assure and confirm a 
person, who already begun to doubt of the truth of 
your principles. And it seems, indeed, that God 
took a particular care, to dispose all things towards 
my full, and satisfactory information herein, during 
the whole course of my travels. 

.At my setting forth from Paris, I associated my- 
self with a Benedictine Monk of a reformed congre- 
gation, 



OF RELICS, £* 3 

gation, a man of sufficient learning 1 , and whose wit 
and other good qualities, had so far recommended 
him to the religious of his Order, as to send him a 
second time in quality of their Procurator, and So- 
licitor-General to the Court of Rome. His person 
and port were very advantageous and he had a 
subtle wit, very proper to humour the Cardinals, 
and to insinuate himself with the Pope; and on 
this journey, we took our way through the country 
of Brie, and so through Burgundy; and upon the 
road Ave called at several Monastries .of his Order, 
where we were received and treated very civilly; 
and where I had an opportunity of making- some 
observations, which I thought not unworthy of your 
knowledge; and therefore have made them the 
subject of this Letter; after which I intend with 
the first occasion, in case I find, Sir, that these 
prove welcome to you, to impart some other matters 
I have observed since my entering* into Italy. 

We arrived the thirteenth of July, at a little 
town on the confines of the country of Auxerre f 
called Flavigny. It is a place of little consideration 
at present, though very famous by reason of a pil- 
grimage which has been continued there a long- 
time since, in honour of a certain Saintess called 
Reine, and very infamous for the contests and im- 
postures which were in their vigour when we pas- 
sed that way. The history, in short, is this: an 
holy woman, named Reine, suffered martyrdom 
about Alise, a little village a league distant from 
Flavigny; and the ground of that country generally 
abounding with mineral waters, some considerable 
time after the Monks of Flavigny made a search 
for the body of this Saint, and informed the people, 
that when she was beheaded, at the very place 
where her head lighted on the ground, a spring 
(known by experience to be much conducing to 
the healing of the sick) bubbled up at that very in- 
stant, for a perpetual miracle, in witness of God's 

B 2 appro- 



4 THE FIRST LETTER, 

approbation of the confession of faith made by his 
handmaid. This error being afterwards carried on 
for many ages in the minds of the people, and be- 
come the mote incurable for its long standing-, it 
happened some years since, that the fathers, Cor- 
deliers, who are religious of the Order of S.jFrancis, 
a sort of people subtle and very crafty, obtained 
leave of the Bishop of the place, to build a little 
Chapel about the said spring, whereof they took 
possession to the great regret of the Monks of the 
Order of S. Bennett who had been all along the an- 
cient and peaceable possessors of all the relics of 
S. Reine; who soon found how dangerous it was, 
to have such sly fellows for their neighbours; 
and the false step they had made, in neglecting* to 
make themselves masters of a spring of water, so 
fruitful in blessing, and which was not above a 
league distant from their Monastery. Indeed, the 
Cordeliers knew much better how to improve this 
advantage, than the Benedictines had done; inso- 
much that the devotion very sensibly increased, in 
a short time, to the considerable profit of these 
good fellows, who not contenting themselves with 
being the masters of the miraculous spring-, but re- 
solving to draw to themselves the intire devotion of 
that pilgrimage, they pretended to have a conside- 
rable part of the body of that Saint ; and according* 
ly they exposed to public view, as they pretended^ 
a whole arm of her; by which means, within less 
than a league's space, the monstrous sight was to 
be seen of a Saint with three arms, to the great 
astonishment and scandal of the people thereabouts, 
and of an infinite number of travellers and pilgrims, 
w ho resort thither from all parts. Would to God 
that this imposture, as well as many others, every 
whit as strange, had the power to open the eyes of 
those poor people, to discover once for all, how 
these wretcned Monks do abuse them; how easily 
then would they perceive 3 that not only the Bones 



OF RELICS, #c 5 

they adore are very uncertain, as resting only on 
the faith of persons who indeed have none at all; 
but besides that, that spring never was miracu- 
lous, but only an excellent mineral water, as may be 
gathered from the nature of the soil, and by the con- 
sent of many famous Naturalists and Physicians, 
who have learnedly treated on this subject. I could, 
Sir, have heartily wished you present when the Fa- 
ther (Guardian of that Convent) who took the pains 
himself to shew us the fair buildings and gardens, 
which were the product of the monies brought in 
by that devotion, entered upon the discourse of his 
pretended Relic, which he had the impudence to 
shew us; for I assure myself, you would have soon 
recovered of the too favourable opinion you have 
conceived for this kind of men. He protested, not 
without an horrid blasphemy, that for his part, he 
did not more firmly believe the mystery of the 
Holy Trinity, than he was convinced of the truth of 
this Relic ; notwithstanding that the Bishop of the 
place had absolutely forbid them to expose it any 
more to public view. It would be too ridiculous to 
give you a relation of the way and manner by which 
he assured us this arm had been found by them so far 
as to mingle with it the revelations of his brethren 
the Cordeliers, and the ministry of Angels, which 
is the ordinary way madfc use of by the Church of 
Rome, for introducing and authorizing their super* 
stitious worship. The only reflection I desire you 
to make on this occasion, is, that certainly it is a 
pitiful and lamentable thing', to see that the Roman 
Catholics, who do not want men of wit and parts- 
amongst them, are yet so obstinate, that they will 
not be disabused, notwithstanding they see every 
day many things sufficient to withdraw them from 
their error : so that we have reason to believe, that 
by a just Judgment of God, because they render to 
Saints and Saintesses a worship that is only due to 
Godjjthey are suffered to give the same to those things 

B 3 which 



6 THE FIRST LETTER, 

which they are well assured, do not deserve it. The 
most part of their divines. maintain, that when a de- 
votion is once set on foot, notwithstanding that the 
subject in which it terminates should be afterwards 
found tobe false and superstitious and so unworthy of 
such worship ; yet that in conscience the course of it 
ought not to be stopt : because (say they)i;he scan- 
dal which by this means must needs be occasioned, 
would be a much greater evil, than that which we 
design to take away; and because the simplicity of 
a deluded people, whose intention is always right 
and pure, is much more pleasing to God, than a too 
great cautiousness and fear of being deceived which 
might in the end engage them to call in questional! 
manner of Relics ana Miracles, which they look upon 
as a very great evil. But the naked truth is, this would 
give a great stroke toward s the diminishing of their 
temporal profits, there being never a pilgrimage 
which does not afford them very considerable ones 
iby the infinite number of prayers and masses, which 
are there procured, and all rated at a very high price. 

I can give you on this subject a result of a con- 
ference at which I was present myself, some time 
ago, at Blots in France upon occasion of several 
Relics kept in the parish of S. Victor, two leagues 
distant from that city. These Relics were much 
out of order, in old wooden cases, all worm-eaten 
and rotten with age, which hindered them from 
being carried in procession, and exposed to pub- 
lic view. The concern therefore was to have them 
more modishly accommodated. To this end the Bi- 
shop of Chartres was petitioned to perform the 
translation, who presently sent his order to the 
Archdeacon of 1 JBlois for that purpose; who assem- 
bled several of the Clergy, to consult with the 
Curate and Priests of S. Victor, about the precau- 
tions to be observed in that translation. The resolu-« 
tion was, that *o avoid the scandal that might happen, 
if nothing should cJi^pce to be found in the old cases, 



OF RELICS, 7 

and to prevent the declining of the good opinion and 
devotion of the people, in case only some few bones 
should be found in them, the transportation of them 
into the new ones should not be done in public, but as 
private as possibly might be in the presence only of 
some prudent persons, who might be ready to re- 
medy all sorts of accidents upon occasion: I was 
desired by some friends of the Archdeacon, to be 
present with them; and I can assure you Sir, that 
the resolution was taken, if it should chance that 
nothing were found in the case, to maintain peremp- 
torily, that the bodies of the Saints icere there 
whole and entire. And to allay somewhat the 
scruples that might start by occasion of this pro- 
ceeding, a Canoe of S. Saviours Church of Bids, 
a man resolute and of a small conscience main- 
tained in the face of the assembly, that no difficulty 
ought to be made of asserting s&ch a thing, though 
altogether false? that in a case where the interest 
of the Church was concern -:!, all manner of respects 
and sentiments whatsoever, were to be sacrificed 
and given up; that the mysteries of the catholics 
were not to be exposed to the raillery of the here- 
tics (so they call the Prott cants) who would not 
fail to mock at therr soon as thfey should under- 
stand, that nothing had been found in the cases of 
S. Victor, which for so ^ong a tune had been the 
object of the people's adoration; besides, that the 
devotion of Lak ks, in assisting the Clergy, was 
so far cooled, that sorce any thing now was to be 
got from them, but by some pious fraud, or holy 
artifice. The Archdeacon heard all his discourse 
without contradicting him m the least; and the 
Curate of the parish, as being the person most con- 
cerned in the case, very officiously returned 
him his most hearty thanks* This done, they pro- 
ceeded to the opening of the cases ; and the truth 
is, bones either of Saints, or no Saints, were found 
in them. In the mean time* a Monk of the Abbey 



8 THE FIRST LETTER, 

of S. Lomer in Blois who was present, cried out at 
the very instant, that he smelt a very sweet odour 
which proceeded from them, wherewith he was so 
strongly seized that it was like to overcome him. 
A young religious (his companion) seconded him 
immediately, and some country people of the pa- 
rish protested the very same thing*. The Archdea- 
con, and the rest of the company freely declared, 
that they smelt nothing: yet forasmuch as it might 
be, that those persons having some more particular 
merit before God, he might think them worthy of 
receiving the like favours; it was ordered, that 
their attestation should be received, and set in the 
margin of the verbal process, which was then 
making- of that translation, the original whereof 
was to be shut up with the Relics in the new cases. 
I had the curiosity some weeks after, in the time of 
vintage, to examine some of these persons about the 
odour they pretended to have smelt, of what kind 
it was; whereupon some of them said it was the 
scent of a rose, others of jessamine, and others of a 
violet: but finding that they faultered in their 
expressions, and smiled withal, I took occasion to 
press them more seriously, so that at the upshot 
they confessed, that the good opinion they had of 
the two Monks, which first started the matter, had 
drawn them in, and in a manner forced their imagi- 
nation to make them believe that they smelt that, 
which they never had smelt indeed. This ingeni- 
ous confession of theirs, made me to seek an oppor- 
tunity to discourse these two Monks: I went to see 
the youngest of them, and after I had given him two 
or three visits of civility, to increase familiarity, I 
obtained leave of his Superior for him, to accom- 
pany me to a country-house, where after friendly 
entertainment given him, I put him upon the mat- 
ter of the Relics of S. Victor. The young Monk 
overcome by my kindness, assured me he would 
open his heart to me as to his own brother; that 



OF RELICS, S?c. 9 

flie truth was, he had not smelt any such miracu- 
lous odour, which he then attested; but that partly, 
that he might not contradict his companion, and 
artly by a sudden shame that surprized him, lest 
e should not seem to be as much graced with hea- 
venly favours as his brother, had made him to de- 
pose against his conscience, for which afterwards 
lie was somewhat troubled. But farther (said I) 
how can you be at peace, without unsaying* again 
what you so openly averred and deposed, and this 
in honour to truth? the Devil is the father of lies, 
and you cannot pretend to the quality of a child of 
God without destroying the work of the Devil, 
whereof yourself have been the instrument: he 
answered, that he had consulted with his Superiors 
about the matter, and that the general rule they 
had given him, to pass over scruples of that nature 
was, to consider whether the thing undertaken or 
exerted into act, were opposite to the glory of God, 
or the good and advantage of his Order: that it 
was .not against the glory of God, to advance the 
honfour of one of his Saints ; especially when some 
circumstances, that were both glorious and profi- 
table to that Order, engaged in the doing of it; and 
that all the evil that could be supposed in the case 
came but to this, to say, that God had done what he 
might have done, and which he hath done on many 
other occasions, which at the highest could be no 
more than a small venial sin; as (they say) all lies 
are, that do not infringe justice; that is to say, that 
do nobody any harm. Having thus got this truth 
out of him ; I had no more to do now, but to con- 
vince the old Monk, which it was not possible for 
me to do, for he continually persisted in asserting 
the truth of what he had deposed, aye and much 
more; for he added, that the odour had followed 
him every where, as long as the least dust of those 
sacred Relics was left upon his cloaths, In the 
mean time this did not hinder me from considering* 



10 THE FIRST LETTER, 

that all the credibility of this miracle was now re- 
duced to the conscience of one single person ; upon 
whom the affirmations of all the deponents rested, 
and that whenever these cases should chance again 
to be opened, in which the verbal process was shut 
up (as superstition is used to get strength by length 
of time) this miracle would come to be delivered 
with as much assurance, as a great many other most 
false and ridiculous ones are in the Church of Rome. 
I was the more willing, Sir, to represent this to 
your consideration, as being a thing which hap- 
pened in your neighbourhood, and whereof you 
may fully inform yourself, whensoever you please ; 
that so finding the faithfulness of my relation in 
this particular, you may be the more disposed to 
give credit to what I shall write to you concerning 
foreign countries. I return now to my voyage. 
From Flavigny we went to Dijon the metropolis of 
the dutchy of Burgundy, where I was eye-witness 
of a horrid cheat, practised by the men of Ahe 
Church : I do not relate that passage to you so 
much for its own sake, but to the end you may 
make the reflection upon it, of great importance 
to our present subject. We took a walk to the Cha- 
pel, where he shewed us many Relics, that were 
indeed very ridiculous ; and among the rest, that 
which they call the holy host of wafer, from whence 
they tell us, blood issued in great abundance, after 
that a Protestant had in several places stabbed it 
with a knife ; that upon his so doing the wafer was 
changed into an infant, and from an infant to a 
wafer again, as it was before. Whereupon enter- 
ing' into discourse, we at last were insensibly led 
to this question, how it came to pass, that at pre- 
sent there were not so many miracles to be seen, as 
in former times ? In answer to which, the Canon 
who shewed us the Relics, told us, that in the 
abbey of S. Benignus, in the same city there were 
■almost every day miracles wrought at an altar of the 

blessed 



OF RELICS, $c H 

blessed virgin, where still-born children were re- 
stored to life for some moments, till they could be 
made partakers of the sacrament of baptism ; which 
was looked upon as a very great happiness for them, 
forasmuch as according to the opinion of the church 
of Rome, infants dying in that manner, cannot be 
saved by the faith of their parents, but go down to 
a dark place they call Limbus, which is made ex- 
press for them, and where they are to continue for 
ever, without suffering the punishment of sense, 
because they have never sinned by the inducement 
of the senses ; but where notwithstanding they must 
undergo Pcenam Damni, or the punishment of loss, 
which consists in the privation of the beatific vi- 
sion, that being a punishment due to original sin. 
We cannot imagine, that any fathers or mothers 
should be so pitiless and unnatural, as rather to 
desire to spare their money, then to rescue their 
children from so deplorable a condition, by having' 
prayers and masses said for them at the said altar: 
so that this was the trade driven by the religious of 
that abbey, We went therefore about 10 o'clock in 
the morning to that Church, where we saw the mi- 
raculous image of the virgin, commonly called the 
Little, our lady of S. Benignus, and two still-born 
children who had already lain two days being black 
and livid, and very noisome. The parents who were 
of the best families of Dijon had (during these two 
days) procured above 200 masses to be said in that 
Church, at a crown a-piece, in order to obtain from 
God, by intercession of the said image, and by the * 
prayers of the religious of that abbey, so much life 
for these poor infants as might be sufficient for them 
only to receive the sacrament of baptism. The 
Monks would very gladly have deferred their re- 
surrection for a day longer; but the bodies were 
already so far corrupted, that it was almost impos- 
sible to abide in the Church, by reason of the of- 
fensiveness of the stench that came from them : so 

that 



12 THE FIRST LETTER, 

that m it happened we came in the very nick of 
time, to see the performance of it. Towards noon, 
which was the time of the last mass, a young Friar 
who served at the altar, going* to carry the mass 
book to that side where the gospel is read, hit it 
with his arm, either wittingly or by chance, the 
table of the altar, upon which the still-born infants 
were laid, which made them move. The Priest who 
was saying mass, and who probably was acquainted 
with the hour and moment of this interlude, imme- 
diately breaking off' his sacred mystery (as the pa- 
pists please to express it) pronounced with a loud 
voice the sacramental words over the infants, 
Baptizo, SfC casting in the mean time on their bo- 
dies the w ater, wherewith he had washed his hands. 
At the same a great noise was raised in the Church, 
the people crying out, a miracle, a miracle! My 
eyes could not deceive in a case I had so plainly 
discerned, and I could with all my heart have un- 
dertaken to undeceive the people : but that I knew 
how dangerous it is, to oppose the blind rabble, 
kept and entertained in error by Priests and Monks, 
who knowing no other God, but their own interest, 
would soon have stirred them, under the pretence 
of heresy or incredulity, to have torn me to pieces. 
However, I could not refrain from hinting* a word 
of it in particular to some persons, who were pre- 
sent at that action, and who owned they had ob- 
served the same thing. Burgundy was always a 
country fruitful in superstition, and we may see the 
signs of it every where; and consequently also, 
there be very few countries where the Priests and 
Monks thrive better, or more abound in riches. I 
beg' of you now, Sir, only to make this observation, 
that the fathers of the ahbey, are the reformed 
religious of the Order of S. Bennet, and conse-» 
quently of a congregation, which you in France 
have the greatest veneration for, as tcell upon the 
account of their learning, as duty ; both ivhich, as 

you 



OF RELICS, $c 13 

you have told me, render them equally reconlynend- 
able. If then, say I, these men, who are so holy 
and so virtuous in your opinion, are so able and 
cunning to deceive, and such profligate lovers of 
outward gain; what may we not expect from so 
many non-reformed religious, who live so licenti~ 
ously and loosly to the very eye, as to make open 
profession of trepanning laymen by a thousand 
kind of artifices, to have wherewith to maintain 
their flagitious and scandalous debaucheries? 

We staid some days at Dijon; where I was eye-wit- 
ness to an abundance of ridiculous devotions, that are 
in vogue there, and which would be too tedious to re- 
late to you; as that of our Lady of VEstan, that of S» 
Bernard, and of the image of the virgin kept at Ta~ 
lent, and pretended to have been painted by S.Lnke, 
and to be very miraculous. But forasmuch as the 
devotion paid to these sorts of images, is used to 
increase or decrease, according as the Priests or 
Monks do more or less dexterously manage them* 
this last mentioned has suffered very much, being- 
well nigh fallen into contempt, insomuch as the 
Curate of that parish, despairs almost of ever bring- 
ing it into request ag*ain. To bring this about, he 
told us, he knew but one way, which was to pub- 
lish a miracle which lately happened about that 
image, which was a more remarkable one than all 
the cures it daily performed. The case is this, said 
he, having perceived about ten years ago, that the 
devotion to the image daily decreased; I began to 
enquire into the cause of it, and finding the picture 
to be in a very rueful condition, by reason of the 
moistness of the place, which had well nigh rotted 
the cloth, and the rats also having made bold with 
some part of it, and extremely disfigured the face 
especially ; I conceived that this might be the rea- 
son of die abatement of the people's devotion* 
Wherefore to remedy this, I made the old cloth to 
he pasted upon a new one, and sent for one of the 

C best 



14 THE FIRST LETTER, 

best painters of Dijon to draw over the defective* 
places of it, which was accordingly done with a 

freat deal of care and exactness ; and on a first 
unday of the month, the image thus drawn over 
and embellished, was set up in its former place with 
a great deal of solemnity, and a great concourse of 
people. Since which time, proceeded he, I have 
been continually troubled with the gout; and more- 
over, the blessed virgin, to shew herself displeased, 
that any painter should be so bold as to put his hand 
to a piece of work which her servant S. Luke had 
left to posterity, in order to the restoring of it to its 
first lustre; she has some days since made the 
colours that had been superadded to it, to scale 
away and fall down, and thereby reduced the image 
to the pitiful estate it was in before; which how- 
ever she is much more pleased with, than to see 
her portraiture profaned with strange colours. He 
added, that he had already caused the relation of 
the miracle to be printed, and that he did intend 
to send copies of it to all neighbouring, yea, even 
into foreign countries; and that he looked upon 
this as a probable way, to recall the devotion of 
people to his Church. I had occasion, Sir, to re- 
mind myself of this passage, during* my Italian 
voyage; for being* at Sonoma, they shewed me an 
excellent piece of earatche in jFresce, upon the 
walls of the cloister of the abbey of S. Michael in 
Bosco ; which being extremely injured by all-de- 
vouring time, had moved the compassion of Guido 
Rhin, another famous Italian painter, who so dex- 
terously mended the defects thereof, as in a manner 
to restore it to its former beauty; but yet we find 
that the new paint, laid upon the first colours, talis 
down in scales, and that without a miracle too; 
there being nothing* more natural and obvious, than 
that new colours, cannot so well incorporate with 
*>kt paint, as fresh colours do with one another. 
But notwithstanding the obviousness hereof, when 

super- 



OF RELICS, $0, W 

superstition lias once gained the ascendant of a 
man's spirit, she doth so strangely prepossess the 
same, that there is nothing' so common and ordina- 
ry, but appears to them miraculous, I have seen 
several other images of the blessed virgin in Italy, 
which they say, were all painted by the same St. 
Luke, and are consequently reputed miraculous, 
particularly that of St, Mar if the greater in Rome; 
but in truth, they are so very different from one an- 
other, that it is impossible they should have been 
painted by the same hand, or that all of them should 
be the pictures of the blessed virgin, the lineaments, 
figure and proportions of the face and body, vastly 
varying from one another. I shall give you a more 
particular account of them, in my observations of 
Italy. For the present, because we have not yet 
quitted Dijon, I will only relate to you what I was 
eye-witness of myself, in the same abbey of St. 
JBemgnuSj belonging to the reformed Benedictine 
Monks, where is kept the miraculous image of the 
blessed virgin, that brings still-born children to 
life again, as we have already mentioned. I went 
to visit one of my brothers, who is a religious of that 
abbey ; and as I was walking with him in the gar- 
deli after dinner,another religious came running 
towards us in great haste, and told my brother in his 
ear, that he should immediately repair to the church, 
to see something worth his curiosity : and foras - 
much as 1 was then in my brother's tompauy, and 
well enough known to the fathers, I followed tlieiu 
to the church. The business was this, the Prior, 
accompanied with seven or eight of his Monks, was 
about to uncover an old crucifix, which was kept in 
a very fair Chapel, which thence was called the 
Chapel of the miraculous crucifix, and had for forty 
years been covered with a veil of black velvet. 
The story tells us, that a religious of that abbey, 
saying his prayer one evening before that crucifix, 
the image of Jesus Christ, wliieh was fastened to it, 

C 2 spake 



16 THE FIRST LETTER, 

spake to him,- and said, my dear brother, cover me f 
that 1 may no more see the iniquities of my peopley 
and let no man from henceforward be so bold to 
uncover me, to behold my face. This Monk pre- 
sently performed the charge laid upon him, by 
advising his Abbot and brethren thereof, who were 
not wanting immediately to carry the news through- 
out the whole city, which occasioned that great de- 
votion which continues still to this day. There is a 
vast concourse of people to this crucifix, especially 
on Fridays, but more particularly on Good Friday , 
w hen the whole city goes in procession to the image 
to worship it, and pay to it the same honour as they 
would do to Jesus Christ himself. Now the Prior 
of this monastery, who was an old stander,and well 
versed in monastic intrigues, was resolved, cost what 
it would, to satisfy his curiosity about it ; as he also 
did ; and in this resolution he was fain to put his hand 
to the work himself, some of his monks having abso- 
lutely refused to do it, expressing themselves ex- 
tremely affrighted at his undertaking, saying, that 
should they offer to touch it, they could expect no 
less than to be consumed with fire from heaven* 
But the Prior, not concerned at their apprehension*?, 
with a wonderful courage uncovers the mysterious 
and dreadful machine. I could not but laugh to 
myself, to see the posture of the Monks that w r ere 
present : some of them betook themselves to their 
heel;*, declaring they would not by their presence 
make themselves partakers of so horrid an attempt 
and sacrilege; others shut their. eyes, that they 
might not be dazzled and sfl'uck blind with the 
majesty of the crucifix, ne opprimerentur a gloria, 
Scrutatores Majestatis ; and others prostrated 
themselves with their faces on the ground, that they 
mijirht be seen by their divine master, as they said 
themselves, in that most profound act of adoration 
and self-abasement. There were scarce any thnt 
kept standing, besides my brother and I: we were 

very 



OF RELICS, §c. 17 

very near to the Prior of the monastery, who was 
very busy with uncovering the crucifix, and who 
beginning himself to be frighted, or at least pre- 
tending to be so, began to repeat the blst Psalm, 
Miserere me, Deus. But, as it happened, neither 
the one nor the other had any cause to fear: for 
when the velvet covering was taken of£ they found 
nothing- but a linen bag, with some bits of rotten 
wood in it, which were the remains of that dreaded 
and adored crucifix. Among these mouldered 
fragments, we hod much ado to distinguish the 
head, where was the miraculous mouth that had 
sooke to the Monk. In a word, it was in a pitiful 
state, being* all rotten and worm-eaten, without 
either form or figure, full of dead flies and spiders : 
insomuch that tlie good Monks that were present, 
being- somewhat recovered from their fright, and 
perceiving no such glory as they had prefigured 
to themselves, begun to discourse among them- 
selves, how to reconcile their story with the present 
discovery; that is, the condition wherein they 
found the crucifix, with their tradition concerning 
the revelation and discourse of the crucifix, with 
the religious : for if it were true, that it had never 
been uncovered, since the time of its speaking, 
when it was fixed to the cross, how could it he, 
that at present they found it in a thousand pieces, 
and in a bag ? The Superior concluded very wise- 
ly, that it was probable, that this crucifix had of 
old been had in great veneration, and thereby been 
of great advantage to the monastery; and that this 
Monk, by inadvertancy or otherwise, had let it fall, 
and broke it to pieces; raid fearing to be severely 
punished by his Abbot, therefore had gathered up 
the pieces into a bag\ and having* fastened them 
again to the cross, and covered them with that 
piece of black velvet, had afterwards forged and 
published that his pretended revelation. However,, 
forasmuch he knew nothing of certainty 

C 3 consent 



18 THE FIRST LETTER, 

concerning the matter, he choke rather to suspend 
his judgment, than to pass a rash one concerning* 
it: and besides that, according to their general 
principles, the devotion being already fixed, he 
would by no means be a hindrance to so many 
good works as were performed on that occasion ; 
nor put a stop to the course of so many masses and 
prayers as were daily procured to be said in the 
Chapel of the miraculous crucifix. So he packed 
up all again, and put in the same order as he found 
it; which may stdl be seen, in case they will per- 
mit the viewing* of it, in the said Chapel, where the 
devotion continues as great as ever. If the Roman 
Catholic Bishops where a little better stocked, with 
true zeal for the glory of God, or at least for the 
honour of their own party, they would without 
doubt most seriously apply themselves to the exa- 
mining of the different devotions that are in vogue 
in their diocese. I am well assured, they would 
find a great deal of downright impiety, covered 
under the mask of devotion. But so far are they 
from this, that they are the first to authorize and 
encourage them, by the indulgences they give 
from time to time, to the Churches and Chapels 
where these devotions are entertained : and accord- 
ingly we find, that great abundance of them have 
been granted by the Bishops of Langres, to those 
who shall shall say five Pater Nosters, and as ma- 
ny Jive Maries, in this Chapel of the miraculous 
crucifix in the abbey of S. Benignus of Dijon* 
Before I have done with this city, Sir, I must not 
forget to entertain you a while with a famous nest 
of Monks four leagues distant from it; I mean, the 
great and famous abbey of Citeaux ; the Abbot of 
which, as you know, is the chief and general of 
the whole Order, which is without doubt, one of 
the vastest bodies of religious, the Church of Rome 
can boast of: France, Italy, Spain, Poland and 
Portugal, being thronged with the u*ouasteries of 



OF RELICS, Sfc~ 19 

that Order; who all of them own this abbey r the 
Citeaux, for their mother- I had very particular 
acquaintance with the Prior of the monastery, who 
#as a yettng manpf the city of Orleans, who invi- 
ted me to come and see him f The Abbot sent two of 
his coaches with six horses? to fetch some of h is- 
olations, whom he invited to dine with him r and 
with whom I had the honour to join myself. All 
the discourse we had on the way from Dijon thither, 
was about the tragical end of Monsieur Bourfe, a 
gentleman bom of one of the most noble families of 
Dijon, and a religious of that order, who a little 
before had been publicly executed at Dijon r for 
poisoning his Abbot, because he went about to 
make an enquiry into his crimes; the fact being evi- 
dent, that he had debauched some of the Nuns of a 
Monastry, whither the Abbot had sent him, in 
quality of their Director, or Confessor. As soon as 
we were come near to the Citeaiix, I could not but 
admire the stately avenues of that magnificient 
Abbey. This place, which formerly was nothing 
but a horrid wilderness, when S. Robert? the first 
Abbot of that Order did institute it; is now, at 
present, by the voluptuousness and luxury of the 
Monks, become an earthly paradise, abounding 
with all manner of delights. The history tells us, 
that, that Abbot being a lover of silence and soli- 
tude, retired himself, with some of his disciples into 
these parts ; w hich at that time w as nothing else, and 
lying out of the way of almost all human converse* 
Here it was they began to build themselves cells, 
with the branches of trees, and some among diem 
digged themselves caves under-ground, without 
either art or form, like to the dens of ravenous 
beasts. The herbs and roots that grew in the wood 
served them indifferently, without distinguishing 
the good from the bad, for nourishment; And all 
the precaution they used was this ; that after they 
had bailed them,, they first gave some to a dog, ou 

other 



m THE FIRST LETTER, 

other domestic animal; which, if it did not imme- 
diately die, or appeared distempered, they took it 
for granted, that there were no poisonous herbs in 
there cookery,, whose dangerous effects they had 
reason to apprehend. But how prodigious a change 
appeared in that place not long after! the people 
round about, being informed of the astonished 
severities, and strange way of living of these Ancho- 
rites? came flocking from all parts to admire them; 
and returning to their homes, published every 
where, that in the wood de Citemix^ they had in 
their days seen somewhat more and greater than ei- 
ther EUas, or S. John, the Baptist. 

A nd as in the age of the world people were much 
more compassionate and tender than they are at pre- 
sent towards persons who for the love of God, as they 
express it, I ad left all, they made it their business 
from a'l parts, to carry them not only food, but other 
conveniences of life* These good Hermits content- 
ed themselves for some time, to accept of some of 
the coursest ami meanest of their supplies ; and 
afterwards, by little and little, the most exquisite 
and delicate, receiving them as by an express order 
from God, by attributing to themselves the promise of 
Jesus Christ made to his Apostles, that having for- 
saken all for his sake, they should receive in this 
world an hundred fold, and in the world to come e- 
ternal life. Thus within a short time from a life of ex- 
traordinary rigour and abstinence, and most signal 
an 1 remarkable piety, they chopt about,, to a life as 
scandalous and dissolute; and whereof S.Bernard 
in his time began already highly to complain, but at 
present is advanced to a far more transcendent de- 
gree of excess. Instead of a desert and solitude, as 
it was before in the highest degree, they have now 
made it a kind of a city; which within its compass 
entertains all manner of handicrafts-men, who live 
there with their wives and all their families: in- 
stead of that mean and spare diet, to which they 

were 



OF RELICS, fe, 21 

were obliged by a solemn vow, made at the foot 1 
of their altars, and in particular of abstaining' from 
flesh all the days of their life, they have at present, 
directly contrary to their vows, introduced the use 
of it to the highest degree of delicacy, as being* 
always accompanied with the agreeable variety of 
herbs and fish. And, for my part, I can truly aver, 
that for the two days that I staid there, their table 
(besides their common viands) were covered with 
several dishes of venison, followed by a service of 
fish, the sides of the dishes being garnished with the 
tongues and roes of carps, and the tails of crabs. Yea, 
the Abbot had sent to Diep, which is above a hundred 
and twenty leagues distant, at an excessive charge, 
and by a post sent express, who ran day and night 
for soles, which were fresh enough, and so costly 
a rarity, that the intendants and presidents of the 
parliament of Dijon, durst not venture upon them 
in their most sumptuous entertainments. The 
monks of this abbey, in the mean time glorying in 
this excess, which ought rather to have confounded 
them, vaunted with an unparalleled impudence, 
that in all that province there was not a man besides 
the Abbot of Citeaiix, who could bear such an ex- 
pence, and continue it every day. After dinner, 
the Abbot (followed by many of his officers, and a 
great number of Lacqueys in livery) went himself 
to shew us the new building he was then making 
in his abbey, and which consisted in four great 
piles of building, of a magnificient structure, all of 
hewn stone of a diamond cut, designed for the 
seperate lodging of the four principal Abbots of 
the Order, with all their train, at the time of their 
general chapters* A fifth buildings which he in- 
tended for his own person, was a lofty palace, lift- 
ing up its proud head above the other four buildings, 
as it were to overlook and command them, to re- 
present the authority he had over the other Abbots, 
in quality of their general. After we had taken 



22 THE FIRST LETTER, 

a view of these magnificent structures, we were 
led into the old buildings. Here it was that a fair 
opportunity was given me, to take notice of the 
subtil ty and artifices of the Monks, still to conti- 
nue Laieks, if possible, in the high esteem of their 
monastery and persons. In order whereunto they 
shew to those who visit them, a great quantity of 
lielicks and places of Devotion, as they call them • 
upon their entering* into which, they used frequent 
bowings of their bodies, and kneelings, repeating 
some prayers, besides some gests and cutting of 
faces, wherein they oblige the company to imitate 
them* This done, they fill your ears with the re- 
cital of old stories and miracles of the days of Yore, 
wrought in favour of their Order. Amongst which, 
they never forgot to inculcate the tragedy of some 
usurper of the revenues of their monastery, or of 
some other that spoke ill of the same, who at the 
upshot of the story doth never fail of being struck 
from God with sudden death by a thunderbolt, or 
of having his neck broke by some Devil or other* 
I have since observed the same inveighing tricks 
in almost all the monasteries and convents of Italy, 
and in all other places frequented upon the score of 
devotion. They shewed us a large refectory of the 
first religious of their Order, which is a vaulted 
room, ana very long, more resembling- a hideous 
cave, than a place to eat in. And yet, (said one of 
the religious) this is that holy grotto where our 
ancient fathers, the blessed founders of our Order, 
met together every day after sun-set, wearied with 
their handy-labour, after having sung the praises 
of God, to partake together of a piece of black 
course bread, with some boiled pulse or roots, with- 
out either salt or butter, or any other sauce or dres- 
sings, and in so small a quantity, as designing ra- 
ther to keep themselves from starving, than to 
make them strong and lively; and continually 
practising those severe mortifications, which we 

can 



OF RELICS, $c. 23 

ean sooner admire than imitate. These great and 
heroic saints are now in heaven, and have changed 
their astonishing severities with the eternal delight 
of the wedding-supper of the Lamb; and it is from 
that high station, they with a favourable eye, look 
down upon those who live, or have lived for some 
time in this monastery, as likewise upon those who 
are or have been benefactors to it; and we are as- 
sured by Revelation, that none of them, nay though 
they may have lived a most abominabJe life, shall 
ever die in mortal sin. A councellor of Dijon, who 
was there present with us, said smiling, that he 
wanted but very little of being persuaded to leave 
all he had to the monastery," and gently pushing* 
my arm, asked me, whether I was not well pleased 
to hear a fat and burly Monk, after having so well 
dined, discoursing of the abstinence and penance of 
those ancient fathers, and of the blessings God hath 
in store for his Abbey too upon their account, with 
feo much energy ? But after all, the plain truth is, 
that it is nothing- but an artifice they make use of, 
to strike the spirits of men with some kind of ve- 
neration for their orders and persons. From this 
place they led us to another, which they call the 
Old Chapter House, which is a building alter the 
Gothic way, with many rows of pillars like a 
church, yet stately enough. The stones of the 
pavement are cut into letters, which make up all 
the Psalms of David ; and near the midst of this 
place they shewed us a large stone, on which of old 
they were used to lay the religious of the monastery 
some hours before their departure, where they were 
exposed all naked upon ashes and an hair-cloth, un- 
til they breathed their last. But this custom (said 
the father) has since been abolished, because it 
was found by experience, that some of those who 
were so exposed, having more strength left than 
was imagined, continued sometimes in that condi- 
tion, exposed to the violence of cold for twenty- 
four 



24 THE FIRST LETTER, 

four hours, or more, before they died ; so as those 
who thus exposed them, questioned whether in so 
doing* they had not been their murderers. At the 
present (said he smiling) the ease is altered, and 
we die softly on the feathers, after having essayed 
whatsoever the art medicine can afford for our re- 
covery, and which is every whit as meritorious to 
us, as that pitiless rigour our predecessors were 
obliged to, forasmuch as herein we submit our wills 
to those who command us, and whom we are ob- 
liged to obey ; obedience even in pleasing and 
agreeable things, being more acceptable to God 
than all sacrifices. Thus gallantly the father ex- 
cused the decay of their observance, endeavouring 
to make that seem a virtue, which indeed is no- 
thing- else but an effect of their softness and effe- 
minacy. Or rather, we may say, that by a just 
judgment of Cod, these kind of men having rashly 
vowed, what was not in their power to perform, are 
fallen by so mtich lower, by how much they aspired 
to fly higher. It is upon this account that we see 
so many reformations of these religious orders, and 
soon after other reformations of them again, who in 
a short time will stand in need still of another 
reformation. But that which is the strangest 
thing of all is, that they fall into prodigious cor- 
ruptions, and into those habits of sinning, which 
strike the most worldly men that are, with horror, 
as may be seen from the hint I give of Monsieur 
Bourre, Monk of that Order, and many other exam- 
ples, that fill the world with their report. 

There is but one only religious order in the 
church of Rome, that can boast of its antiquity, and 
of having never been reformed, which is that of 
the Chartrevx. Having stayed two days at Citedux, 
we took our way through Lionnois, and Dauphin e, 
and finding ourselves not far from the monastery 
called the Great Chartreuse our curiosity invited us 
to take a view of it. This monastery is the chief 

head 



OF RELICS, $e. • 25 

bead of all those of the Order of Chartreux, and in 
it their general chapters are held. $. Bruno, who 
was the founder of this Order, retired hither with 
his companions in the year of our Lord, 1080. What 
is commonly related as the reason of his retirement, 
is rather a fable than a history ; which notwithstand- 
ing is maintained by a great deal of heat, as a great 
truth by the fathers of this Order, who have caus* 
ed the story to be painted at large, and hung up in 
their cloisters ; but on the other hand it is denied 
by the doctors of the famous university of Prats. 
This fable tells us, that Bruno who had a long time 
frequented that university, being present at the in- 
terment of a doctor, who had been a member of 
the same, a person of an irreproachable life, to out- 
ward view, and who died with the odour of sanc- 
tity; when the office of the dead was reciting- in 
the church for him, and that they were come to those 
words of the lessons, Responde mi hi, quant as ha- 
heo iniquiiates, ansicer me how many sins I have ; 
the dead body raised himself on the bier, and sit- 
ting upright, with a terrible voice pronounced these 
words, accusatus sum ; I am accused: at which as- 
tonishing accident, when all that were present were 
extremely amazed, it was thought fit to put oft" the 
obsequies till the next day; at which time they be- 
gan again the office for the dead, and when they 
were come to the same words, responde mihi f &c* 
the dead answered with a tone much more terrible 
than at first, these two words more, judicatus sum ; 
I am judged; which increasing the horror and 
amazement of all those that were present, made 
them resolve to delay the burial one day longer; at 
which time a vast croud of people being assembled 
the office was begun again, and at the same words, 
raising himself the third and last time, said with a 
pitiful and mournful accent, condemnatus sum / 
that he was condemned to hell without recovery. 
This so strange and terrible asnectacle saith the 

D fable) 



26 THE FIRST LETTER, 

fable) had that effect on the spirit of Bruno, that 
from that instant he resolved to quit the world, and 
to retire into some solitary place for to live there 
wholly to God, solitary and separate from the view 
of the world ; and by his persuasion engaged se- 
ven students of the university of Paris, his com- 
panions, with him in the same resolution, who be- 
ing all of one mind, went and cast themselves at 
the feet of the Bishop of Grenoble, to beg of him 
the desert called Chartreuse ; which belonged to 
him ; and having- obtained their request, they re- 
tired there, and built themselves cells. The truth 
of the matter is, that this saint did indeed retire 
with his companions into this place ; but all the 
story of the doctor is evidently false, as has been 
incontestably proved by the doctors of the univer- 
sity of Paris ; there being' none of the contempo- 
rary writers, or any that were two hundred years 
after, that make the least mention of it : and is in - 
deed nothing else but an invention of the papists, 
very fit to be joined with the rest of their stories, 
concerning the apparitions of souls in purgatory. 
Probably, Sir, your curiosity will incline you to de- 
sire I should give you a description of this place, 
and its situation, which without doubt is the most 
desert place nature could form ; and yet notwith- 
standing is at this day become a very pleasant seat, 
by means of the immense expences which these fa- 
thers, who are extremely rich, have been at, to 
make it more pleasing to sense. Wherefore, Sir, 
I shall endeavour, in order to your satisfaction, to 
pet down what comes to my mind concerning it. 
This desert, called Chartreuse, which has given the 
name to the order that is thence denominated, is a 
place situate in the bosom of an exceeding high 
mountain, the top of which parts itself into four 
others, leaving in the midst of them a place of a 
mile in length, and above a quarter of a mile in 
breadth, in which space the cells of these fathers 

are 



OF RELICS, be. 27 

are built. The waters gushing forth from these 
mountains, made a most impetuous torrent, which 
bears the name of S* Laurence, This was a place 
altogether unfrequented, and almost inaccessible, 
when >S f . Bruno first retired thither, though at pre- 
sent, by a vast profusion of money, the religious of 
the place have made the access to it not only easy, 
but pleasant, having cut out large steps in the rock, 
and by that means made, (as it were) many stairs to 
get up to it. However, such is the situation of the 
place, that neither coaches nor carts, no, nor horses 
neither, can come up to it ; but they make use of 
mules, accustomed from their youth to go up and 
down those steps, to convey their provisions to them. 
We got up to the place by means of the same con- 
veniences, and found the snow in several places ly- 
ing still on the eminences of the rocks, notwith- 
standing that it was in the midst of August ; and 
that at the foot of the mountain, the heat was al- 
most insupportable. The building of the monas- 
tery was not yet quite finished when we arrived 
there, having been reduced to ashes some short 
time before. There was a suspicion, that the reli- 
gious themselves had been the incendiaries, because 
their cells displeased them, as being too mean and 
old-fashioned ; and besides, too much pinched of 
room, so that they could not enjoy themselves in 
them with that ease and convenience they desired. 
It happened at a time when the wind extremely fa- 
voured their design, and the fire began in a quarter 
where so much combustible matter was lodged, and 
so far from the places where any fires were made, 
that it was easy to judge, that it was not a thing 
happened by accident, but contrived on purpose. 
Besides, the delays and indifferency shewed in 
quenching of it, gave a sufficient testimony, that 
the friers desired nothing more than to see it (with 
all expedition) burnt down to the ground. Yea ? 
some have averred it for a certain truth, that the 

D 2 new* 



28 THE FIRST LETTER, 

news of it was known many days before in foreign 
countries, which was related to us by one of the fa- 
thers of that society for a miracle; saying, that 
without doubt the tutelary angel of the place, fore- 
seeing what was to happen to it, had communicated 
the knowledge of it to so far distant countries. But 
riot to insist on this any longer, certain it is, that 
the whole building was reduced to ashes, and in 
less than six months, in a manner quite rebuilt 
again; a good part of the materials having' been 
prepared beforehand, and as it were by a divine 
Providence, as the said father exprest himself, in 
places adjacent to the mountain. It is to be noted, 
that their general chapter having some veneration 
for those ancient buildings of the first fathers, and 
to prevent lay-men from taxing them with niceness 
and luxury, had refused them their permission to 
build. But what is capable to restrain the longing' 
of Monks, when as by direct or indirect means, by 
hook or by crook, they are in a condition to effec- 
tuate it? In a word, these new buildings were 
brought to perfection with a magnificence very un- 
beseeming the modesty of hermits, and more be- 
coming the palace of a king, than the cells of such 
who pretend to have forsaken the world. There 
remained only one building at the foot of the moun- 
tain yet unfinished, being* designed for the officers 
of the Chartreuse, and which was already far ad- 
vanced. As for their manner of living, I must ac- 
knowledge they still retain something' of their first 
institution, as in particular their abstinence from 
flesh ; but the diversity and abundance of fish, 
herbs, eggs, and other such like things wherewith 
they are served, is far more pleasing and agreeable 
to sense, than any sort of flesh-meat, and much more 
costly. The father-purveyor of the house assured 
us, that the expence of every religious amounted 
at least to five hundred crowns a year. They have 
a way of extracting the substance, and as it were 



OF RELICS, §c 29 

the quintessence, from seyeral great fishes, where- 
of they make jelly-broths, that are extremely nou- 
rishing'. Their bread is of an extraordinary white- 
ness, and the best wine that can be got for love 
or money, is afforded them without measure. Be- 
sides this, every religious has in his own apart- 
ment a reservatory, stored with fruit and other 
necessaries, so that they may eat and drink when- 
ever they please, and entertain their friends that 
come to visit them, to charm the irksomeness of 
their solitude. Some amongst them, who are of 
a melancholy temperament, are so immersed in 
their solitude, that they abhor all manner of con- 
versation, and will not so much as speak to their 
superiors : this is no virtue, but rather a savage- 
humour, that has got the ascendant over them, 
and makes them almost insupportable to them- 
selves, and like Timon the Athenian, they con- 
ceive an hatred against all mankind. The great- 
est part of these, in process of time, become dis- 
tracted, losing the use of their understanding- and 
reason ; and accordingly they have built for these 
a very fair apartment. Every Chartreux has his 
separate apartment, which consists of five or six 
fair rooms, very neatly furnished and adorned, 
with a neat garden, which separates one apartment 
from another ; all which gardens have a door that 
opens into the cloister, which is of a prodigious 
length, and of a most sumptuous and magnificent 
structure, insomuch as it doth not seem so much 
contrived for the convenience of the several cells, 
as for the embellishment and ornament of the 
place. The great company of strangers, who come 
thither from all parts, either out of curiosity or 
devotion, some about business, others to visit some 
of their friends or kindred, has changed this so- 
litude into a place of great concourse, and con- 
sequently made it appear less hideous to nature ; 
and particularly in summer-time many persons of 

D 3 quality 



80 THE FIRST LETTER, 

quality retire thither, there to enjoy the ' delicious* 
ness of the place, and the cool air of the moun- 
tain. These fathers, to engage the frequent visits 
of others, and to draw thither their kindred and 
friends, have established hospitality in this their 
monastery, and entertain every one that comes, 
according* to his quality, both person and attend- 
ants, without costing them a farthing ; and a man 
may stay there many days, according as they find 
his company either pleasing or profitable. At the 
first they had also some respect for the poor ; but 
at present, if those who come there be not men of 
fasirion, and in good order, they are neglected and 
contemned. That part where they entertain 
strangers, is a most stately and sumptuous build- 
ing, containing apartments for persons of quality 
of all ranks and degrees. The chief officer of the 
kitchen knows what kind of entertainment is suit- 
able to each chamber, which is very exactly ob- 
served. By this we may guess at the immense 
riches of these Fathers. You would be astonished, 
Sir, to see these Anchorets, whose first instituter, 
S. Bruno, shewed himself to be so great a lover of 
poverty, retirement, and silence, are now by suc- 
cession of times, mounted to so high a degree of 
riches and grandeur, and so ardently desirous to 
change their desert, of itself so solitary and in- 
accessible, into a well-inhabited country, and 
more frequented, than the great roads that 
lead to great and capital cities. They boast, 
that they have never been reformed since their 
first institution; but in good earnest, Sir, think 
you not after all this, that they stand in need of a 
sound reformation ?' We may conclude from hence, 
that all those great efforts which are made to sur- 
mount nature, which cannot subsist without a 
most particular grace and assistance from God, 
which he vouchsafes to whom it pleaseth him, 
when we will unadvisedly appropriate the same, 



OF RELICS, ft. 31 

and rashly make profession of them, and rye our- 
selves up to them by vows, do commonly end in 
shameful weaknesses ; which discovers, that they 
were rather artifices of the devil, to lift up the 
heart of man, in order to his greater fall, than the 
motions of grace, which are wont to humble and 
abase the seul, in order to give the victory over the 
world, the flesh, and the devil. After this:, as it 
were to cast dust in our eves, and to divert us 
from making any reflection upon such extravagant 
disorders, they led us to the chapel of S. Bruno, 
which is not above a quarter of a mile distant from 
the monastery, upon the top of a rock, surround- 
ed with many fir-trees. They told us, that this 
formerly had been his cell, and that a spring of 
most clear water we saw there, had been miracu- 
lously obtained by his prayers, which restored 
many sick persons to their health, and though 
drank to excess, was never known to hurt any., 
The Benedictine frier, who was my companion in 
the voyage, drank a great quantity of it by way 
of devotion, but was much incommoded thereby 
in coming down from the mountain ; which that 
he might derogate nothing from the miracle, he 
attributed to the cold and pent-in air of the rocks* 
This Father assured me, often whilst we were 
there, that he felt his soul pierced with an extra- 
ordinary devotion, and a great sense of the pre- 
sence of God ; and demanded of me, whether I 
was not sensible of the same thing ? I answered, 
that I was ; but withal, that in all this I did not 
believe any thing to be more than what was very 
common ; it being very natural for grottos, dark 
places, close and shady forests, vast caverns, and 
the sources of fountains and rivers, to produce the 
same effect in us ; and not only so, but that we 
often experience, when we are alone by night in 
great buildings, chapels or churches, that our 
souls are moved with a kind of horror, which call 

God 



52 THE FIRST LETTER, 

God to our remembrance, as I have often found 
by experience in my travels. And some few days 
after, as I passed the Alps, which are very high 
mountains, in company of this Benedictine, when 
we were come to a place which was very solitary, 
I obliged him to take notice, whether it were not 
indeed so as I had said ? whereupon he ingenu- 
ously acknowledged, that he found himself no less 
moved, than he had been at the great Chartreuse* 
Nevertheless, these Fathers make all strangers, 
that frequent this place to take notice of it as a 
special blessing of God, vouchsafed to this place 
by the intercession and merits of S. Bruno. It is 
an astonishing thing to see, that those effects 
which God, as the author of nature, works in us, 
are for the most part by those of the communion 
of Ro)r)ie ascribed to God, as the author of grace 
and worker of miracles in their behalf. So true 
it is, that it is a very pleasing thing, and extreme- 
ly flattering the pride of man, to believe, that God 
thinks us worthy to be exempted from the com- 
mon-way, that he may favour us in a more pecu- 
liar manner, not sticking every moment (for our 
sakes) to countermand the natural course of things 
here below, by prodigious and miraculous opera- 
tions. We came down from this monastery, by a 
very narrow -way between rocks, for the space 
of near two leagues, having on our left hand the 
torrent of S. Laurence, which precipitates itself 
with a horrid noise from the top of the mountain 
to the bottom of it, where is situate the town of 
S. Laurence, from whence it borrows its name. 
All the neighbouring country many leagues about, 
belongs to the religious of this monastery, and 
every where are seen stately piles of building, and 
houses of pleasure, which they have caused to be 
built, with pools and ponds full of all sorts of rare 
fish, to please their palates. We afterwards con- 
tinued our way towards Savoy, and passed the 



OF RELICS, fa SS ! 

Alps by the way of Montsenis ; whence we came 
down into Piedmont, to a little town called Susa. 
Here, Sir, I intend to stop, and shall conclude this 
letter with this last reflection, which I would de- 
sire von to mate ; which is, that the church of 
Rome is so far from having* any cause, to pride 
herself in her religious orders, and of which she 
boasts so much, as far excelling the Protestant 
Church, which has wholly excluded them, ought 
rather upon that account to be humbled ; yea, to 
blush for shame; seeing it is evident, that this 
sort of men, under the specious pretexts of devo- 
tion, silence, and retirement, endeavour nothing- 
else, but to acquire themselves a great esteem in 
the minds of people, that by this means, they may 
turn them which way they please ; and experi- 
ence makes it appear, that all this is done for 
their temporal advantage. They begin with the 
spirit in appearance, but always palpably end in 
the flesh. I have made some other more curious 
discoveries during my voyage in Italy, which I 
shall be very willing to communicate to you, in 
case I find you are not offended with this my first 
Letter; but that you have received it with the 
same spirit of charity and zeal, which I shall al- 
ways preserve for the spiritual good of so dear 3 
person \ as being-, Sir, 

Yours, #c. 



LETTER 



34 



THE SECOND LETTER, 



LETTER II. 

OF THE SPIRIT OF REVENGE JwV THE ROMISH 
CLERGY, SfC$ 

Sir, 

Forasmuch as there is nothing, the Church of 
Home more strictly forbids her children, next to 
the reading of the Scriptures, than the perusing 
of those writings, which discover the lives and 
doctrine of her pastors, whom it is her will they 
should follow blind-fold, without examining ei- 
ther what they say or do ; I had some fear for my 
first Letter, lest it might have given offence, be- 
cause it made some discoveries to you of their con- 
duct. But seeing the kind welcome you afforded 
it, I hope that the reflection you have made upon 
it, and the good inclination you express, in de- 
claring your willingness to be further informed by 
me on this subject, may at length conduce to the 
opening of your eyes, to see the dangerous condi- 
tion you are in. And seeing* I desire nothing 
more, than to serve as an instrument to produce 
so good an effect : I shall gladly continue, Sir, to 
communicate the observations I have made, during 
my travels, about matters of religion. 

Being* arrived at Sasa, a small town of Piedmont 
in Italy, and subject to the Duke of Savoy, we 
were told that the body of S. Maarus, abbot and 
first disciple of S. Bennet, reposed in one of the 
churches of this place. And forasmuch as the 
Father that was my companion in my travels, was 
a reformed benedictine, of the congregation of S. 
Manrus in France; I asked him whether he 
would not go to pay his duty to that relic of his 
blessed founder ? but he very freely told me, that 



OF REVENGE, £c. 3-3 

he would take heed of doing* so ; adding, that the 
Italians were great cheats, who pretended to have 
all the saints ef Paradise in their country, whereas 
indeed there is nothing more false ; for as much 
as the body of S. Maurns was preserved whole and 
entire, in one of their abbies in France. And 
moreover assured me, that the bodies of S. Ben- 
net, and S. Scholastica were there likewise, the 
one in the small town of S. Sennet, on the river 
Loire, near Orleans, and the other at Mans ; not- 
withstanding the Italians contested with them 
about all these relics, and a vast number of others, 
of most authentic authority ; and that upon no 
other ground, but that of the Pope's bulls, which 
they have procured, said be, by some artifice or 
other, for this purpose, and which declare them to 
be true and lawful possessors of these relics, 
though clear contrary to all evidence drawn from 
history and tradition. But Father, said 1, do you 
remember the discourse you held two days ago, ag 
we passed the Alps, to prove the Pope's infallibi- 
lity, which you extended with so much heat and eai - 
neatness, not only to matters of rights, but also to 
matters of fact'? The question then put was this, how 
the popes could grant such thundering' bulls, fraught 
with excommunications and anathemas against 
those who do not believe, tliatfhe house of Loret- 
to, was transported from the Holy Land by angels, 
to that part of Italy, where it is supposed to stand 
at present ; as likewise against those who should 
deny, that a great mountain near to the city of 
Cajeta, in the kingdom Naples, which is open at 
the top, and as it were, split in two, was one of 
those rocks, that were rent at the passion of our 
Saviour Jesus Christ? You then affirmed, that 
the Pope on all such occasions, was assisted with 
an infallible direction from the Holy Ghost; and 
consequently, that it was impossible for him to be 
deceived himself, or to deceive others, any more 

thin 



86 THE SECOND LETTER, 

than in matters of faith itself: and more especial- 
ly* y^t, in a case of giving- religious worship to 
some object of devotion, as that is, which is given 
to the house of Loretto and to the Holy Moun- 
tain ; and how then can you now say, Father, 
with respect to your S. Mavrvs and S. Bennet, 
or any other whatever, that those popes who de- 
clared against you in favour of the Italians, have 
been mistaken i Is not (his a case of worship, as 
well as that of Loretto ? The party was but visi- 
ble, and the good Father must needs have en- 
tangled himself in a most troublesome contradic- 
tion : wherefore to avoid the shame and confusion 
that thence would have followed, he chose rather 
to turn his answer into a piece of raillery, say- 
ing, he confessed that he was indeed a very bad 
politician, because when he Avas on the Alps, he 
spake like an Italian, but that at present he 
spoke as a Frenchman* Because it is true, that 
the people of Italy, especially those of the Pope's 
territories, do own the Pope's infallibility in mat- 
tews of fact, which the greatest part of the Ro* 
man Catholics of France do deny. 

This distinction of speaking as an Italian, or 
as a Frenchman, Mas indeed very frivolous; and 
in truth, if it were permitted to utter one's opi- 
nion, sometimes according to the humour of one 
country, and sometimes of another, if our Bene- 
dictine had spoken like a German or an Hunga- 
rian, he would have reduced the papal authority 
to a very low ebb : for I have observed in my 
travels, that these people, though for the most 
part they profess the Romish lleliyion, yet have 
this advantage, that they believe little of it. {With- 
out doubt, Sir, it would much better have become 
him, to have spoken as a Christian ought to do, 
viz. like a good and honest man, with a sincere 
and unbiassed spirit, strengthened by grace, sup- 
ported by reason, and grounded upon the holy 

Scripture : 



OF REl r EA*GE, $c. S7 

Scripture : for then would lie never have attributed 
the title of infallible to a mortal man upon earth, 
which belongs to God alone. I was ready to give 
him my thoughts to this purpose ; but I called to 
mind, that I was got into Italy, where one only 
word might drag me before the cruel and merci- 
less tribunal of the Inquisition, and therefore 
thought it more wisdom to hold my peace. How- 
ever, I could not but make this reflection on these 
proceedings of the religious, that in cases where- 
in the Priests or Monks find their advantage, or in 
things altogether indifferent to them, they are not 
wanting- with open mouths to publish the Pope's 
infallibility : but when his infallibility seems in 
the least to clash with their interests, he is no more 
than an ignorant and mistaken man, who may be 
bubbled as well as any other. 

From Susa we came to Turin, which is a very fine 
city, situate upon the banks of the River Po, and the 
court of the jQuke of Savoy. Here it was that a 
damning of the beauty of the churches of Italy, pre- 
sented itself to our eyes : the greatest part of the pa- 
rish-churches, monasteries, and convents, are very 
sumptuously built, and most richly adorned with- 
in. Nothing is seen in them, but marble, porphy- 
ry, jasper stones, and most exquisite gilding and 
painting'. The crosses, the candlesticks, lamps, 
statues and cases of the relics, are all of gold and 
silver, and almost infinite in number and value. 
Some good j^n^cA priests, who had joined them- 
selves with us, to take a view of the churches, 
where in a strange rapture at so dazzling a sight ; 
and being inwardly moved to see so many temples 
of the Lord, so gloriously adorned, wept for joy: 
for as in their journey from France, they had 
taken their way through Geneva, and the Swiss 
Cantons, where they "had seen the Protestant 
Churches devoid almost of all material embellish- 
ments, they from thence concluded, (how truly I 

E leave 



38 THE SECOND LETTER, 

leave you to judge) that there was no other true 
religion, besides that of the Church of Rome, whose 
zeal for the House of God, was an evident witness 
of the truth of her faith. I told them that this 
their conclusion seemed to me to be built upon 
very weak principles, and that where we had a 
mind to prove the truth of any religion, the gran- 
deur ana riches of the world were too weak pre- 
mises to support a conclusion ; and that for my 
part, if I were to form a presumptive argumenf in 
favour of any religion, 1 should sooner take^ it 
from the good life and manner of those that pro- 
fess it, than from the sumptuous ornaments of 
their churches. They shewed us the church-trea- 
sury, where is preserved the holy shroud or sheet, 
and soon after the canons and priests entered the 
choir, to sing their vespers ana complins, which 
are the evening prayers of the Church of Rome. 
They entered without any order, and very inde- 
cently, talking and laughing together, and push- 
ing one anothers elbows. The first come, without 
waiting till the rest were seated in their places, 
began to sing the office ; and that which might 
well have lasted an hour and half, in case it had 
been said with the required pauses devoutly and 
modestly, as it is practised in the Common Prayer 
of the Church of England, was dispatched in less 
than a quarter of an hour, with a strange kind of 
precipitation, so that it was scarcely possible to 
distinguish between one word and another, or be- 
tween the end and the beginning of the verses. 
In truth, Sir, were it lawful to judge of the con- 
sciences of men, from any thing that is outward, I 
might have had good reason to infer from their be- 
haviour, that their hearts were much stranged from 
the words of their lips, and their lips and their 
hearts yet further from God. They did not much 
weary our patience with hearing them ; and the 
service thus roundly dispatched, they rather fled, 

than 



OF REVEXGE, Set. m 

than went out of church, every one his own why. 
The Father that was with me 5 perceiving that I 
was scandalized at it, told me, as having had some 
former experience of Italy, by a journey he had 
before made through it : that it was not yet time 
for me to be offended, and that the nearer I should 
appear to Rome, the more cause I should find for 
it. I had been told indeed, that the farther I went , 
the more stately churches I should find, and the 
more richly adorned : so that joining these two 
together, I concluded, that all this outward bravery 
and ornament, did not proceed from the piety or 
zeal of the clergy of Italy for the House of God ; 
because they neglected the chief glory and em- 
bellishment of it, viz* the inward, and that some- 
thing else must be the motive to it, as I discover- 
ed afterwnrds, and of which I shall give you a 
more particular account upon another occasion. 
After we had visited the churches, towards even- 
ing, we went to view the great piazza of Twin, 
facing the palace of his Royal Highness. Here 
we saw many theatres or stages of rope dancers 
and mountebanks, wherewith the market places of 
the cities in Italy* are always well provided, for 
the satisfaction of the public. But that which 
surprized me most was, that the greatest part of 
those that assisted as auditors and spectators, about 
those theatres, were either priests or monks, who 
clapped their hands in applause of the most ridi- 
culous and scandalous stuff they produced, and 
laughed with all their might. We saw there all 
sorts of orders, some father-jesuits, that seemed 
the most concerned for these fopperies, who salut- 
ed the Father Benedictine that was with us ; and 
having understood that he was procurator general 
of the order, they offered him an eminent place, 
near unto themselves, which he accepted of. For 
my part, I was unwilling to engage myself in the 
concern, and retired with the two French priests 

E 2 to 



m THE SECOND LETTER, 

to our inn* We had opportunity the same even- 
ing* of discoursing' with Count Zamberti, an officer 
of his Royal Highness, whom formerly I had seen 
in France, and we could not keep ourselves from 
acquainting 1 him, how strangely we had been sur- 
prized, to see so many religious at the public 
shews, and so attentive to the lewd fooleries of 
buffoons ; because we looked upon it as very un- 
worthy and scandalous, and that no such thing* 
was to be seen in France. He told us, that this 
was not that which ought most to surprize us, for 
that in Italy, those of the clergy who did common- 
ly frequent the Piazza in the evening, were the 
most esteemed of, as being ©rdina i i!y the best 
amongst them ; because the rest at the same time 
were, for the most part, either in whore-houses, or 
at taverns, in company of their wenches. Here I 
turned myself to our French priests, and said, 
Well, gentlemen, what say you now ? Do you 
think you concluded well from the magnificence 
of the churches of this country, that their religion 
and piety must needs be the best, because their 
churches were the most stately and sumptuous ? 
whereas you see that these who ought in a more 
especial manner, to be the living' temples of the 
Holy Ghost, abandon themselves to such execra- 
ble profaneness and debauchery? As to that which 
we alleged, that no such lewd deportments were 
to be found amongst our ecclesiastics in France, 
the Count very wisely replied, That for that li e 
might thank the Protestants ; for that it was only 
their presence that maintained the learning, mo- 
desty, and reserved carriage of the clergy of the 
f/allican Church, and if they once should be forced 
to quit the country, we should soon see all sciences 
and virtues exiled with them. This, Sir, agrees 
incomparably well with what some persons of qua- 
lity of the Roman communion have of late freely 

owned 



OF REVENGE, fa 41 

owned to me, that they begin already in France to 
perceive, that since the Protestants have been ba- 
nished thence, and that they believed them far en- 
ough from them ; the burning zeal of the ecclesi- 
astics, is turned to lukewarmness, their devotion 
grown cold, and their application to their studies 
l3ecome very flat and languishing. So that at 
present they are seldom found at their books, but 
for the most part ranging from one house to ano~ 
ther, upon pretence of encouraging and confirm- 
ing their new converts, and boasting themselves 
for great doctors, with what they have learned, at 
a time when they were forced upon by the learn- 
ed writings, and close arguings of the Protestant 
ministers. I return now to my voyage : but before 
I leave Turin, because I have already made men- 
tion of the church, wherein is kept the holy 
shroud or linen sheet, wherein they pretend our 
Saviour's dead body was wrapped ; I suppose you 
will not take it amiss, if I tell you in short what I 
think of it. Those of your religion suppose it to 
be the same shroud or linen sheet, in which Jo- 
seph of Arimathea wrapped up, and buried the 
precious body of our Lord Jesus Christ, after it 
was taken down from the cross, and that the figure 
of that adoreable body remains imprinted upon it, 
for the comfort of believers. 

1 intend not to enter the lists about the truth of 
that history, which I never searched into ; but I 
shall only tell you, Sir, that there is another of 
them to be seen in the cathedral of Besansom in 
Burgundy, which they maintain to be the same in 
which Joseph wrapt the body of our Saviour : se- 
veral popes, according to their distinct fancies and 
humours have granted several bulls and indi- 
gencies, some to that of Turin, others that of Be- 
sansom, until that these contestations raise such 
extreme feuds between the archbishops of these 
two cities, that at last they fell to libelling one 

E 3 another ; 



42 THE SECOND LETTER, 

another ; whereupon to stifle the flame front 
spreading further, a way was found out at Rome 
to reconcile them, by determining- (contrary to the 
express words of the vulgar translation, Matt. 27. 
Et involvit illud Sin done mnnda. A n d icrapt it 
in a clean linen cloth; where the w ord Sindone is 
in the singular number) that there were two, and 
consequently that both the one and the other of 
them were true. It cannot indeed be denied, but 
that there was such a shroud or linen-cloth, and it 
is possible that with great care it might have been 
preserved till now : but to see the Church of 
Rome, for the reconciling of two bishops, with 
so much easiness, boldly to determine that there 
were two, when the scripture seems but to speak 
of one ; this is that which will not go down with 
men of understanding : and moreover, to ordain, 
that the same worship and adoration be given to 
them both on Easter-Bay, which is given to the 
cross on Good-Friday, which does not differ at all 
from what is given to Jesus Christ himself: this is 
no less than downright impiety and idolatry. 

After some days stay at Turin, finding myself 
T/ifchin two days journey of Genoua, the curiosity 
of seeing that lofty city, made me resolve to go 
thither. However, I found some strife in myself 
about it, because of the satisfaction I had enjoyed 
m the company of my Benedictine, whose conver- 
sation was indeed very pleasant and agreeable ; as 
iinding,that if I continued my resolution, it would 
be necessary for us to part ; for the letter of obe- 
dience, which he had shewed me of his general, 
expressed, that he was without stop or stay to go 
directly to Rome. 1 communicated to him my re- 
solution of going to Genoua, whereupon he im- 
mediately told me, that he was resolved to go along* 
with me, and that he v/ould order the matter so, 
as his superiors should know nothing of it, and 
accordingly in the letter he wrote to them from 

Turin 



OF REVENGE, $c. 43 

Turin, acquainting' them, that being' not yet wholly 
recovered from some fits of an ague he had, he 
should be obliged to remain there still for some 
days, which was just the very time lie took to go 
this journey with me. I found by this that the 
most reformed monks make no great scrapie of vi- 
olating- the obedience they have vowed to observe 
and to transgress the rules they profess, upon the 
least occasion that presents itself to them, of any 
particular satisfaction. The use of meat was also 
forbid him by his rule, and yet he no sooner found 
himself at a distance from the monasteries of his 
Order, but he made bold with it ; and as soon as 
he met with another, he took up his observance 
again as before, desiring me not to divulge that 
ever he had transgressed it. And in the mean 
time I can say with truth, that I never saw a more 
rigorous censor of another man's actions than he 
was, when he was in the company of monks, who 
were not reformed, or who took more liberty than 
those of their congregation ; he would undertake 
them in a high manner, yea, with insolence itself : 
he said, He could not look upon them any better 
than damned souls, and icorse than devils. Nei- 
ther had he any more charitable opinion for the 
people, whom the monks, by way of distinction, 
term the people of the world and worldlings, with 
which words they denote all laymen in general. It 
seemed to him impossible for a man that lived at 
large in the world, to be saved, except he took up 
and confined himself to a convent ; yea, and it 
must be in a convent of his Order too. If by 
chance he saw in the streets a woman well dressed, 
without examining- whether her condition, or some 
other reason might oblige her to it, he immediate- 
ly pronounced a sentence of eternal condemnation 
against her ; saying, That she teas a victim destin- 
ed to the flames of' hell; and if he heard speak 
of any persons newly married 3 or that had obtain- 



44 THE SECOND LETTER, 



ed some good fortune, alas, said he, these persons 
make their paradise of this icorld, but they shall 
burn for ever in the other for it* And thus with- 
out excepting any whatever, and putting a wrong* 
construction upon the most innocent actions, he 
judged with an inveteracy of heart what belongs 
alone to God to judg*e of. What I now say, is not 
only to be understood of this religious alone, but 
generally almost of all sorts of reformed religious, 
as those who profess a more strict life than others ; 
and of secular priests also, who by their little su- 
perstitious ways, pretend to be quite distinguished 
from the common sort of people : I have observed, 
that they judge men without mercy. Some have 
owned to me, that from their youth up, they have 
been accustomed to these ideas, the world having 
been always represented to them as a tempestu- 
ous and raging sea, whence it is very rare for any 
one to escape, without being shipwrecked, and 
that their monasteries are the very ports of salva- 
tion, and the havens of grace, where it is impossi- 
ble to perish. Whereas, it were much better, to 
educate them in a spirit of humility, and to inspire 
in them charitable thoughts towards their neigh- 
bour, whether they be joined with them in the 
same profession of life, or engaged in another way, 
to which we ought, Christian like, to believe that 
God had called them. This indeed we must own, 
that it seems to be the unhappy lot of all persons 
whatsoever that engage themselves in a party, not 
to have any consideration, but for those of their own 
company, despising and condemning all the rest. 
It was this consideration, without doubt, that made 
our fathers, the first reformers of religion, to dis- 
approve, and afterwards to reject all these kind of 
inequalities, which by dividing men into several 
different states, do ordinarily divide their hearts 
also, and by this means separate them from the 
charity of Jesus Christ. But to return to our Be- 

nedictiney 



OF REVENGE, 45 

nedictinc, who as lie was extremely rigorous to 
others, so he was indulgent to himself. He was 
naturally very comical, and inclined to raillery, 
and did not eifect that monkish gravity, but upon 
certain occasions. 

We arrived at Genoua the 1st of September. Be- 
ing informed that there was a very fair abbey of his 
order in the city, called S. Catherine of Genoua, 
he would needs go and lodge there, in hopes of 
being as well entertained, as he had been hitherto 
in the several monasteries he had called at. He 
went and presented his letter of obedience to the 
abbot, who having read it, took a view r of him 
from top to toe : he asked him, of what Order he 
was ? he answered, that his letter shewed that, 
and that he was a reformed Benedictine ; the other 
replied, that he believed nothing* of what he said, 
because he was not in the habit of S. Bennett 
which was the chief mark which distinguished 
their order. Now it is to be noted, that these monks 
in France wear gowns of our course cloth, with a 
cowl cut very strait ; whereas the Italians have 
extremely amplified theirs, and wear stuffs very fine 
and lustrous ; they are very neatly shod, wear 
silk stockings, fine grey hats, and are not a whit 
inferior to the bravery of laymen. Moreover, a 
small difference in the habits of Italy, makes also 
a difference of Order. There are about ten sorts 
of the religious of the Order of S. Frances, which 
are only distinguished from one another, because 
some of them have their sleeves, or their cowls, 
two or three finger's breadth larger than the others. 
And yet this makes so great a division between 
them, that they cannot endure the sight of one an- 
other, and hate one another mortally. The monk 
of whom I am speaking, was not sprucely enough 
accommodated, according to their mode, to please 
this nice and curious abbot; and the conclusion 
was, that he very basely denied him entrance into 



46 THE SECOND LETTER, 

his monastery. The poor Benedictine was put in- 
to such a rage by the affront put upon him, that 
he could not forbear downright railing at the ab- 
bot in his own monastery; telling him, that he was 
an abbot accursed of God : that damnation would 
be his portion, and that all those who lived under 
his conduct, might make state to go to hell with 
him ; that it was the}/ that had changed the ve* 
nerable habit of the Order, and altered it to that 
degree, that it seemed at present rather contrived 
to please and entice young tadies, than to distin- 
guish them from the people of the world ; and 
that they would see one day, but alas, too late ! 
what a reception their glorious patriarch would 
afford in Heaven, to that poor habit which he had 
upon his body, and which they vilified so much 
here on earth. The abbot found himself so extreme- 
ly nettled at this invective, that he threatened our 
reformed monk, that in case he did not that very 
evening depart the city, he would take care to 
stop his pipes for him. The poor monk frighted, 
and trembling at his threat, returns to the inn 
where I was, and gave me an account of his dis- 
aster. This was the reason, that I staid only 
three days at Genoua, because my companion, for 
fear of being sacrificed to the Italic revenge, 
durst not stir abroad, but was fain to keep himself 
shut up in a chamber, all the while I stayed there 
to take a view of the city. 

Revenge is an abominable vice, and which at 
present is not without great reason particularly 
appropriated to the Italians ; but certainly amongst 
them all, there are none who exercise and act it 
with greater rage and fury than the clergy, who, 
as they have no families to care for, their attention 
is less divided, and consequently more united and 
concentred, to resent injuries done unto them, and 
have also more leisure time to descant upon them ; 
and besides all this, in case of any acciaent, they 

have 



OF REVENGE, £c. 47 

have none but their own persons to save, neither 
do they fear so much as others the confiscation of 
their goods, as being assured, that whatsoever 
co^itry their lot may cast them upon, so it be the 
Romish communion, they cannot miss of getting- a 
livelihood by their masses, and of being furnished 
with a full supply of their necessities. This is a 
patrimony that follows them wheresoever they go, 
and cannot be taken away from them, but with 
their life. One thing extremely facilitates the tak- 
ing of revenge in Italy, viz. the great number of 
petty principalities, into which it is divided ; and 
whereof the princes are all of them independent 
one of another, and extremely jealous of preserving 
their rights, especially of protection and refuge, to 
those who having done some ill turn, retire them- 
selves to their territories. The ambassadors of the 
king of France would sooner,and with more easeob- 
tain a fugitive person from the Emperor, than from 
the Duke of Mirandula, whose territories do not ex- 
tend themselves to three Italian miles ; because, 
always the more inconsiderable any power is, the 
more it strives to appear great. Ihe common- 
wealth of S. Marin, is but an inconsiderable ham- 
let of about some fifty houses of poor peasants, 
who are governed by themselves : and though they 
be shut in on every side by the Pope's territories, 
which they call the Domaine of S. Peter, yet they 
do give such a resolute protection to priests guilty 
of murder or manslaughter, that it is not possible 
for the Pope to persuade them, to deliver up any 
one of them ; neither are the sovereign princes 
of Italy, only thus jealous of their franchises of 
their estates, but also all persons of quality in ge- 
neral, who w ill not permit a malefactor to be seiz- 
ed in their houses. I shall here tell you by the bye, 
Sir, that it is this pretended liberty which was the 
rise of the franchise or liberty of the ambassadors 
of crowned heads at Rome, and which caused the 

great 



48 THE SECOND LETTER, 

great dispute between Pope Innocent XI. and th& 
Prenck King ; for seeing the ambassadors, to dis- 
tinguish themselves, were willing to have some 
privilege above the ordinary nobility, they did not 
only pretend to have an immunity for their palaces,, 
but over and above, an entire franchise through- 
out all the quarters, where their abode was. NW 
Pope Innocent XL conceived it an enterprize be- 
coming his glory and courage, efficaciously to en- 
deavour the final destruction of these retreats for 
robbers and murderers in Rome, obliging" the am- 
bassadors for ever to renounce the franchises of the 
quarters, and to content themselves, for the re- 
spect borne to their masters,with the immunity of 
their houses. But, to speak truth, to what pur- 
pose was it for the Pope to be so zealously bent 
to abolish these places of refuge? Did not he 
know, that all the churches, monasteries, con- 
vents, and colleges of Rome, are so many open 
places, which one meet with at every tlirr-, where 
injustice, incest, robbery and murder are protected 
and secured? 1 confess, it seems not unreasonable, 
that the churches of God should be esteemed so 
holy and sacred, as to make it a kind of profana- 
tion to enter them armed, in order to seize a crimi- 
nal ; but what reason is there to * allow the same 
privilege to all cloisters eti'd houses of those 
wretched monks, that are the very worst of crimi- 
nals ? -and the compass of whose walls take up so 
much ground, that if they were all joined toge- 
ther, they would, without doubt, make more than 
a third part of Rome: and what is the sacreduess 
and holiness of these profane persons, for which 
they are to enjoy this exemption? For my part, I 
cannot imagine any other reason for it, but that 
the Pope, with the rest of the ecclesiastical princes 
of that communion, endeavouring no less to esta- 
blish their temporal power, than their usurped ty- 
ranny over the souls of men, will be very backward 

of 



OF REVEXGE, fyc. 4s 

ef diminishing the privileges belonging to the mo- 
nasteries that are amongst them ; lest foreign 
princes following their example, should under- 
take the same in their countries ; and seeing, that 
the monks always side with the Pope, the taking 
of this course would be a manifest weakening of 
their own party. Moreover these monks are of 
sucll mean and interested spirits, that if the Pope 
or a Cardinal send to them, to deliver up any that 
have taken refuge with them, they immediately 
comply with the demand, as being well pleased to 
have this occasion, to procure their favour at so 
cheap a rate : but if any other secular lord comes 
to request any such thing' of them, then they stand 
stiffiy in defence of their privileges, and without 
a good piece of money in hand, will never grant 
their request. Especially if the criminal be a 
monk, or a clergyman ; and indeed (as was men- 
tioned before) that which makes them so bold in 
revenging themselves, is the assurance they have 
of being always seconded and assisted by some of 
their brotherhood ; for upon any such occasions, 
they are very ready to take one another's part; so 
that it is impossible to offend any one of them, with- 
out engaging with a whole party. For either they 
are monks or friars, and so are fellow members 
with all those of the same order, convent, or mo- 
nastery ; or they are secular priests, and so 
make up one body with all the other priests of 
their diocese, cathedral, or parish, there being ne- 
ver a church so inconsiderable, that has not at least 
fifteen or twenty priests belonging to it : so that 
when any one member of the same body is offend- 
ed, all the rest are affected by sympathy, and en- 
deavour to revenge it, as done to themselves. It 
is evident, that a spirit of charity does not engage 
them to these courses; for charity avengeth not 
itself : but it is a kind of natural pleasure they 
take to make others feel the effects of their rage 

F and 



50 THE SECOND LETTER, 

and fury, that have either offended them, or those 
they have any relation to ; and which makes them 
say with one of their poets, 

Dolcissimo, mortaii, e la vendetta: 
Revenge is the sweetest thing in the world. 

Myself, when I was at Bononia, counted no less 
than seventeen in one week, that had been sacri- 
ficed to this infernal fury, and who (for the most 
part of them) had been murdered by either monks 
or priests. The great provost, who there is called 
the Bargello, having oy order of the cardinal- 
archbishop, made search for a monk, who very 
scandalously kept a pubiic^tew, was one of the 
number of these unhappy victims, being mi- 
serably massacred on Easter-day, as he was com- 
ing- out of a church. One of the most dreadful 
means the clergy have to glut their vengeance, is 
the Inquisition, which they have introduced under 
the pretext of jPeligion ; though, indeed it be the 
most diabolical invention that was ever forged in 
hell, and which they as dexterously manage for 
the serving of their particular self-ends. They 
have made it an inquisition matter for any to 
strike, affront, or vilify any person belonging- to 
the clergy, whether secular or regular. I will 
•rive you an instance how they proceeded at Bo- 
nonia, against an honest man of my acquaintance, 
who in heat of his passion had called a .Dominican 
Friar, old fool of a monk: the friar immediately 
went and made his complaint to the inquisitor, who 
forthwith caused the young man to be seized and 
cast into the inquisition prison, where he continu- 
ed ten months before ever any inquiry was made 
about the cause of his commitment. At last he 
was brought before the sacred tribunal ; and for- 
asmuch as he could not deny, but that he called 
the friar, old fool of a monk, his indictment was 
drawn up to this purpose:— he who doth not re* 

sped 



OF REVENGE, $c. 51 

spect churchmen, doth not believe the ecclesiastic 
estate worthy of honour, and consequently is an 
heretic : now it is apparent, that you have had no 
respect for brother Nicholas, who was an ecclesi- 
astic; and consequently, neither do you think the 
ecclesiastic state ivortliy of honour, and therefore 
are an heretic. The defendant pleaded for him- 
self, that it was true he called the plaintiff old fool, 
but only with respect to his person, without in- 
tending the least reflection upon his profession. 
But the plaintiff insisted, that he called him fool, 
with respect to his profession, by joining the word 
monk with that reproachful word, and without add- 
ing these words, saving your character* For true 
it is, that if in Italy a man chance to affront a 
priest or a monk, by calling them knaves, rascals, 
or the like, so he do but remember immediately 
to subjoin saving your character, or saving your 
habit, they cannot make an inquisition matter of 
it; but if by mischance this be forgot, he is un-* 
done. Thus this poor g-entleman was found guilty. 
As for striking any one of the clergy, in what 
manner soever it be,, whether sorely or slightly, it 
is always a matter the Inquisition takes cognizance 
of. And this is that which makes the men of me 
church so peremptory and insolent throughout all 
Italy. 

I happened at Rome to see a priest, who fell out 
with an officer in the Piazza Navona ; the officer 
very dexterously and freely stained the priest with 
his tongue, never forgetting- at the end of each 
injury, to compliment him with a saving charac- 
ter ; which so confounded the poor priest, that 
quite foaming with rage, he began to say to the 
people that stood about, Gentlemen, I must put this 
man into the inquisition, for if I be not mistaken, 
he struck me: did not you see him to give a slight 
stroke? Indeed he could have had wished he tad 
with all his heart, that so he might have had an 

F 2 opportunity 



m THE SECOND LETTER, 

opportunity to have prosecuted his revenge ; but 
none of those that were present having seen any 
such thing, they could not witness against him. 
The Italians have a proverb, That he who would 
live peaceably at Rome, must take heed of offend- 
ing any female or priest; because the women pro- 
mire their lovers to work their revenge, and the 
clergy make use of the inquisition to avenge them- 
selves. It is true, indeed, that persons of rank 
amongst them, as abbots, bishops, and cardinals, 
do not ordinarily make use of this means, it ap- 

E earing to them a little too troublesome. They 
ave servants and dependants, who for money, or 
to obtain some favour, do voluntarily offer them- 
selves to be the executioners of their revenge ; 
and if at any time they chance to be seized in the 
act, they are but very little concerned at it, fully 
relying upon their master's power and authority > 
who are never wanting, by all manner of means, 
to procure their discharge and liberty. As for the 
Popes, they are no more exempt from this weak- 
ness than other men ; neither do they forget, upon 
occasion, to make use of the power they have in 
their hands ; but like other monarch?, whenever 
they are offended, shew themselves to have long 
hands. There is no speaking to these holy fathers, 
of humility, or patience in suffering injuries, in 
imitation of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose person 
they will needs represent upon earth. They have 
in a manner rejected all his virtues, and their study 
at present is, to represent here below, his heavenly 
glory, vizi his power and judicature. The title of 
Holiness, which is given them, is only a swelling 
term they make use of to express their pride. We 
have a signal example of revenge in the life of 
Pope Sextus the Fifth. He was of a very mean ex- 
traction, his father being a poor vine-dresser, and 
his mother a serving maid, and he himself in his 
vouth, was reduced to be a hog-herd ; and yet by 

the 



OF REVENGE, fyc. 53 

the subtilty of his spirit, in conjunction with an 
extraordinary fortune, he stepped over all these 
difficulties, and mounted the pontifical throne. But 
so far was this meanness of his birth from inspir- 
ing him with an answerable degree of humility, in 
the midst of that greatness to which he was raised, 
that he could not endure to hear the least hint 
of it ; but by a revengeful inclination, which was 
natural to him, he let loose his cruel and unre- 
lenting nature against all those, who either impru- 
dently, or of set-purpose let drop the least word of 
contempt reflecting that way ; of which the follow- 
ing story may be a pregnant instance : the statue 
of Pasquin in Rome, appeared one morning with 
a very nasty shirt pulled over it ; and Morforius 
demanding the reason, Why for shame he did not 
shift himself and put on a clean one ? Because 
(answered Pasquen) my washer-tcoman is become 
a princess. This answer stung the Pope's sister, 
Camilla, who of a poor washer-woman, which she 
was before, was, by her brother raised to a prin- 
cipality. The Pope being enraged at this cutting 
satiFe, made use of all the ways imaginable to find 
out the author ; but missing the desired success 
in this his research, he betook himself to craft and 
circumvention, but that too one so base and un- 
worthy, that the whole recital of it is sufficient to 
strike a man with horror. He caused it to be pub- 
lished every where, That he was so extremely 
pleased with the delicate poignancy of this piece 
of tvit, that if tKe author of it icould come and 
discover himself to him, he would be so far from 
punishing him with death, that he would bestow 
upon him two thousand crow?is for a reward* The 
poor unhappy wretch, trepanned by this advan- 
tageous promise, makes himself known. The Pope, 
upon owning himself to be the author of it, caus- 
ed two thousand crowns to be counted out to him, 
assuring him withal, that he would be as good as 

F 3 his 



54 THE SECOND LETTER, 

his word, and that lie should not be hanged. At 
which words, the wretch overjoyed, poured forth 
his most humble acknowledgments to his holiness, 
for so imparalled a piece of grace. Ay, ay, (an- 
swered the Pope) I will be as good as my word in 
all this; but take notice, sirrah, that I never pro- 
mised you not to cause your hands to be cut off and 
your tongue to be plucked out of your head. And 
immediately commanded the cruel sentence to be 
executed in his presence, as a pleasing sacrifice to 
His implacable revenge. I have sometimes set my- 
self to enquire, what might be the cause of this 
spirit of vengeance, which now-a-days is become 
so natural to the Italians, whether it proceed from 
the climate, or nature of the country, or from 
some other necessary and inevitable cause. But 
having called to my remembrance the generosity, 
courage, and greatness of soul, that shone forth- so 
illustriously in the lives of the ancient Romans, 
who inhabited the same country, and who rendered 
themselves every where as amiable by their cle- 
mency, as formidable for their valour, I soon found 
that I was rather to seek for a moral cause of it, 
than a natural ; and as far as I can reach, it is tins, 
that the greatest part of Italy, in process of time, 
being fallen under the domination of the Bishops 
of Rome, they sent priests to be their lieutenants 
in the several provinces of their dominions; a sort 
of people equally ignorant in matters of commerce 
and war, which are the two sinews of state, and 
without which the government is like a body af- 
flicted with the palsy, without either action or mo- 
tion. This idleness, joined to the great heat of 
the country, and to the corrupt examples of the 
said governors, as being men that only minded 
their pleasures, at last introduced an entire disso- 
lution and effeminacy. In Rome of old, the sword 
sometime gave way to the robe, and arms to letters*. 
Vedant arma togce. But at present, all veils to the 

love 



OF REVENGE, 55 

love of women. This love being excessive and un- 
bounded, is the inseparable companion of jea- 
lousy ; and the fruit of jealousy, inexorable re- 
venge ; which are the two great vices which do 
stain the reputation of the Italians. From this 
great easiness of revenging themselves, when af- 
fronted in their amours, they are now arrived to 
that point, as not to suffer the least word, or the 
least injury to fall to the ground, without taking 
(so it be in their power) a most pityless revenge. 
This vice, which had its birth in the Pope's domi- 
nions, has insensibly dispersed itself into those of 
the neighbouring- princes, and at present miser- 
ably infected all Italy. It has been observed, that 
Sonoma and Eerrara, who were the last that have 
submitted their necks to the Roman yoke, have 
since that time doubled their revengeful spirit. 
But that which is most of all to be condemned in 
their way of revenge is, that they do commonly 
execute it in the basest and most cowardly manner 
imaginable ; that is, either by poison, or treacher- 
ously stabbing their enemy in the back. They de- 
ride our duels, and say, it is the greatest fofly in 
the world, to put the sword in our enemies 6 and, 
and by this means state him in as fair a condition 
of being revenged of us, as we ourselves are of 
being avenged of him. When we have an enemy 
(say they) we are not such fools to cry to him at 
a distance, stand upon your guard ; but endea- 
vour to kill him with the first occasion, without 
putting ourselves to the hazard of being killed by 
him. However, Sir, though the Italians have 
their faults, yet on the other hand I must own, that 
they also have their good qualities ; they are very 
prudent in conduct of their affairs, very discreet 
in their discourse, civil and handsome in their car- 
riage amongst themselves, or towards strangers ; 
they are good counsellors, and very ready to ren- 
der service ; constant in their friendship, and of a 

very 



56 THE SECOND LETTER, 

very obliging humour, provided it cost them no- 
thing: they are very witty, and I dare say, that if 
their priests and monks had not corrupted them 
in their morals, and had not so strangely spoiled 
and changed their religious worship, (as well as 
the best country in Europe ) they would be some 
of the best men in the world. Indeed, popery is 
grown to that prodigious excess of idolatry, super- 
stition, and folly, that I am astonished they are so 
backward in casting off that yoke. I know there 
are a great many amongst them, that begin to open 
their eyes, and see thier errors ; but they dare not 
declare their minds to any one whatsoever, for fear 
of falling victims te the barbarous and inexorable 
cruelty of the Inquisition, That tribunal was set 
up more pa rticularly for a curb to the Italians, 
amongst whom many began to waver, than to de- 
bate the doctrine of Rome. And in order to make 
it the more fierce and terrible, the Popes thought 
they could not trust it in better hands than those 
of the Dominieians, a cruel and pitiless sort of 
fellows, and more than any other Order, engaged 
to maintain the Pope's interest. And to encourage 
them to a rigorous discharge of that barbarous and 
butcherly function, they have found it convenient 
from time to lime, to confer episcopal dignity up- 
on the most zealous inquisitors, and even to raise 
many of theinto the eminence of cardinals. 

Throughout all the dominions of the great Duke 
of Florence, this employ has always been attributed 
to the Eranciscans, many of whom likewise have 
been elevated to bishoprics and cardinals caps. 
The end in dividing the Inquisition thus between 
two different Orders, w^'s only in order to the 
more vigorous maintaining of the same by emula- 
tion of both the pretenders. The main design at 
first intended for the erecting of the Inquisition, 
was by ways of blood and violence, to put a stop 
to the progress of heresy, or to speak in their own 

terms, 



OF REVENGE, $c. 57 

term*, Contra hcereticam pravitafem, Against he- 
retical pravity. But the clergy having since con- 
sidered the great advantage the Inquisition gave 
them above the laity, have learnt so dexterously to 
serve themselves by it, that at present there is 
scarce any thing which they have not brought 
within the verge of that court, in order to bring* 
about their private self-ends. If you fail of paying 
your tithes ; w ithout troubling them to examine, 
whether you be able or not, they argue. That the 
reason why you do not pay them, is because you 
do not believe they ought to he paid, and conse- 
quently, that you are an heretic. If the least word 
chance to drop from you, reflecting upon the li- 
centious lives of the bishops and clergy, whether 
regular or secular, they accuse you as one whose 
design is to vilify the episcopal dignity, and con- 
sequently the church itself, in the eyes of the peo- 
ple ; that in so doing, yen have done the here- 
tic's work for them, and serve their interest, and 
therefore must be looked upon as being one your- 
self. If a man be known to have an estate, and 
in the mean time shews himself cold and indiffer- 
ent in contributing to the collections that are made 
for the saying of masses and other prayers, for 
the repose of the souls of the dead ; though it be 
well known, that there is never a priest or monk 
that will so much as say one without money, he is 
presently accused, as one who doth not believe 
purgatory, and consequently a downright heretic. 
Nay, moreover, if any one be consequently observ- 
ed to refuse putting something* into those boxes, 
that continually run up and down the streets to 
help to celebrate the festivals of such an he or she 
saint, towards such a procession in such a church, 
towards the chapel of the rosary, towards the 
scapulary of the Blessed Virgin, or for the cord 
of S. Francis ; these fellows have the impudence 
to tell you, That they see well enough, you have 

no 



58 THE SECOND LETTER, 

no devotion for holy things, and consequently be- 
lieve little of them ; which is a kind of advertise- 
ment, That in case you should he guilty again 
of the same neglect, occasion would be taken to 
recommend yon to Inquisition, there to learn bet- 
ter manners. It is not lawful for any to excuse, 
or to intercede (either in person, or by one's 
friends) directly or indirectly, for those who have 
had the mishap to fall into the prisons of the In- 
quisition, except you have a mind to involve your- 
selves in the guilt of the same crimes, whereof 
they are attained. One cannot so much as come to 
speak with them without an express permission 
given in writing by the Inquisitor himself, which 
he never grants, but with a deal of difficulty, and 
very seldom. An abbot of Calabria, one of my 
acquaintance, was put into the Inquisition at Ve- 
nice, for smiling at the story a certain monk told, 
about the apparition of a soul in purgatory. After 
he had been a whole year in prison, I understood 
that sentence of death was not yet pronounced 
against him, though he had been several times 
put upon the rack : and having occasion to go to 
the Inquisitor, to obtain his licence for printing a 
book ; I took this opportunity to beg leave of him, 
that I might g*o and see this poor prisoner ; who 
having heard the request I made him, looked 
sternly upon me, and demanded what business I 
had to concern myself with him? I told him, That 
nothing made me to desire this favour, save only a 
motive of charity, to bestow some words of com- 
fort upon him. But the monk answered me in a 
most rude and disobliging way, or rather like 
himself, that the prisoner was in very good 
hands, and did not at all stand in need of any of 
my comfort ; so that it was not possible for me to 
get to speak with him. However, I had the satis- 
faction of seeing him set at liberty about six 
months after, through the charitable care, and 

powerful 



OF REVENGE, $ci 59 

powerful intercession of Cornelia Episcopia, a'no- 
ble Venetian young lady of extraordinary learn- 
ing- and merit, to whom my friend dedicated his 
learned poems, which he had composed during the 
time of his confinement. I have before mentioned 
that it w r as not lawful to intercede for any that are 
committed by the Inquisition ; but that you must 
know, Sir, that the Inquisition is much more fa- 
vourable in Venice, than it is in other parts of Italy. 

That wise senate abhorring* the inhumanity of 
those monks that manage it, have erected a parti- 
cular chamber, where some Venetian nobles pre- 
side, and take cognizance of all matters that are 
brought before the Inquisition, insomuch that the 
Dominicans are not altogether the masters of it. 
This friend of mine having had the good fortune 
to escape so great a danger, Avas so sensibly 
touched with the cruelties they had made him suf- 
fer during his imprisonment, that he readily con- 
cluded from thence, that the Church of Rome be- 
ing- possessed w r ith such a spirit of cruelty and 
barbarity, as is never to ba paralleled even 
amongst the worst of heathens, could never be the 
true spouse of Jesus Christ. She might indeed 
be allowed the prudence of serpents, for her own 
preservation, provided it were always in conjunc- 
tion with the mild nature of the dove, that so she 
might not render herself unworthy of, and unlike 
to him, who wills us to learn of him to be meek 
and lowly of heart. My friend confessed to me, 
that indeed, before he was cast into prison, he had 
some doubts about purgatory and transubstaniia- 
tion ; but that since that they had gone about to 
make them believed perforce, he believed nothing* 
at all of them, and that he w r as resolved to retire 
into Sxcitzerland or Geneva ; there to enjoy that 
liberty of conscience, which would not be allowed 
him in his own country. He told me, that never 
a night past over his head, in which he was not 

disquieted 



60 THE SECOND LETTER, 

disquieted in his sleep, with the frightful ideas 
and representations of the torments he had in their 
dungeons, where they had racked all his mem- 
bers out of joint, one after another, bruised all 
his fingers, and applied plates of red-hot irons to 
the soles of his feet. And after all this, to make 
him the more sensible of his pains, they in this 
condition shut him up again for some days in his 
dungeon, allowing him nothing but a poor morsel 
of brown bread, and a small measure of water, 
and then again put him into the hands of the ex- 
ecutioners of the Inquisition, to go through a new 
course of torments. They tied him by one arm, 
and by means of a pully, hoisted him up into the 
air, and there left him hanging for several hours, 
which time being over, they let him down agr,in, 
rather dead than alive ; and to bring him to him- 
self again, they most cruelly and inhumanly 
scourged him with a kind of whip made of slen- 
der iron chains full of points, as sharp as needles, 
and this till he was all of a gore blood. And all 
this (O strange and unparalleled barbarity !) to dis- 
cover the secrets of a poor conscienc e and to 
search the bottom of a heart, which God lias re - 
served to himself as his own divine prerogative. 
The Father Inquisitor, who was all the while pre- 
sent to encourage the executioners, and to observe 
whether they were not wanting in their duty, some- 
times would draw near to the penitent, and yvkk a 
severe tone demand of him, whether he did not be- 
lieve purc/atory yes, wishing him to think seri- 
ously of it, for all that he suffered there, was but 
a slight a draught of the torments of that place, 
and that it was much more terrible to Jail into the 
hands of* the living God. This poor gentleman 
answered nothing to all this, save only by sighs 
and tears. But he confessed to me, that since 
he had made a very serious reflection upon this 
matter, and that he was come to this result, that 

it 



OF REVENGE^ fyc. 61 

it was utterly inconsistent with the infinite good- 
ness of God, to treat those souls whom he had 
destined to his heavenly glory, and the enjoyment 
of himself for ever, to such extremities of pains 
and torments : that all the works of God being 
perfect Jie sheiced mercy to whom he shewed mercy? 
that is to say, perfect and complete mercy, and 
that it was infinitely more glorious for him, wholly 
to pardon both guilt and punishment, than to re- 
serve himself o miserable vengeance from the fire 
and flames of their feigned pwrgatory? and that 
for this very reason he did not believe any thing 
of it alb The common punishment inflicted at 
Venice on those who are convicted of heresy, is 
either to strangle them in prison, or to tie a great 
stone to their necks, and so cast them into the sea* 
And herein also the Inquisition of Venice is much 
more favourable than it is in other parts of Italy, 
where they either burn them alive with a slow fire, 
or else cut off their members one by one, which 
are cast into the fire before their eyes, after having* 
first of all plucked out their tongues, and made them 
suffer ^^expressible torments. Can you ever be- 
lieve in good earnest. Sir, that this is the spirit of 
die gospel t is this the way our saviour made use 
of to convert sinners 1 did he ever threaten the 
disobedient or unbelievers with prisons, racks, and 
tortures ? has he ever left us so much as one ex- 
ample or command to authorize this Sacred Inqui- 
sition method? I trow no, and consequently this 
cannot be the spirit of Christianity* Thus these 
very means the Popes take to maintain their ty- 
ranny over the consciences of men, might serve 
(and without doubt will so in time) for just mo- 
tives to pull it down, if the people would once 
open their eyes, and vigorously oppose them- 
selves to the effect, of a most unjust and inhuman 
violence, it is virtue alone that stands in need of 
no support, but sin and iniquity are always in 

G " the 



62 THE SECOND LETTER, 

the search of props and contrivances ; and what 
they cannot carry by the strength of the lion, they 
endeavour to bring about by the foxes craft. Thus 
what the Popes and their adherents cannot obtain 
by the Inquisition, they strive to compass by arti- 
fice and lies. One of the chief fetches they have 
to keep the people in their obedience, is to secure 
them in the chains of profound ignorance ; first of 
the truths of the Holy Scriptures, as a book very 
dangerous and pernicious to their souls. Their 
next care is to prevent any books of controversy, 
written by Protestants, from coming' into their 
hands. It is an inquisitional matter to have or 
read any of them, or to be privy to any others 
having of them. Moreover, they take special care 
to charge the preachers in their sermons, that in 
speaking of the Protestants, who being very well 
grounded in their principles, must consequently 
be looked upon, as the most formidable enemies 
of the Church of Home has, they be sure to repre- 
sent them to their auditors, as men that have ab- 
solutely renounced the faith of Jesus Christ, and 
who do no more believe in him, than heathens and 
infidels. Wherefore also, they indifferently call 
them heretics and infidels ; or to make use of the 
Italian word, quesiinon Christian?. So that indeed 
all the common people, yea, and the greatest part 
of those that are learned too, are of the opinion 
That Protestants do not at all believe in Jesus 
Christ, no more than Turks do. A canon once de- 
manded of me in Rome, by way of curiosity, What 
the infidels did in France, and why they were suf- 
fered there ? I desired him to tell me what he 
meant by that word, which I did not understand ; 
and finding that he spoke of Protestants, I told 
him that they were no infidels, but believed in Je- 
sus Christ as well as the Roman Catholics, only 
that they rejected transubstantiation, the ?nas? 9 
purgatory, <^c* and in particular the power and 

infallibility 



OF REVENGE, §c. 63 

infallibility of the Pope. And having heard me 
discourse at this rate a good while ; In truth, Sir, 
(said he) if the case he as you say, I perceive 
that those people are not such great devils as they 
are represented to us here. I have often heard it 
declared f rom the pulpit, that they are as unbe- 
lieving as the Jews themselves ; and you are the 
very first I ever heard say, That the Protestants 
believed, in Jesus Christ* But, Sir, said I, it is 
impossible, but that you who have studied divi- 
nity, mast needs have heard the opinions of 
Luther, Calvi?*, and Zuinglius, in the Treatise of 
the Sacraments in general, and in particular of 
those „of the eu diarist penance, the sacrifice of the 
mass, SfC. I know (said he) that those ringleaders 
of heresy, pretended not to destroy, hut to reform 
the clrarch ; and as to some points, they have 
very strong arguments which even to this day we 
are hard put to, to answer. But nevertheless, God, 
who hath particular care of his church, that he 
might make known to believers, that these then 
were in a bad way, has so ordered it, that their 
whole party came to nothing. For as one error 
draws on another, they have still rolled from one 
precipice to another, till at last they are fallen in- 
to the abyss of infidelity. They at first separated 
themselves from the Church of Rome, upon the 
pretence of reforming- it ; but some time after their 
followers reduced all to the particular spirit, 
which is to believe what they please, and that pro- 
vided only they do worship one God, whosoever he 
be, and lead a morally good life, that this is en-*** 
ough for them to be saved. I perceived by tnis 
discourse, Sir, that this canon had been ill-inform- 
ed (as indeed most part of the Italians are) of the 
present state of Protestants and of their doctrine, 
and that at Rome all manner of slights and tricks 
are made use of against those who refuse to bow 
their knees to Baal. To tell a lie with them is a 

G 2 virtue 



64 THE SECOND LETTER, 

virtue, as long as it is but employed, as they 
think, for a good end, I remember that a jesuit, 
who was lately come from England, boldly preach- 
ed in the church of Later an ^ that all religion there 
was reduced to the particular spirit. And having 
made an ample description of the meetings of the 
Anabaptists and Quakers, under the name of the 
Church of England, when he came to speak of 
their sighing and groaning', and their women 
preaching, he .made all his auditory break forth 
into a loud laughter ; and by this means, without 
doubt, though with a great deal of injustice, he 
made many there present conceive very contemp- 
tuously of that august and venerable body of Pro- 
testants, the Church of England so zealous for the 
glory of God, and of Jesus Christ his only son ; so 
exact and decent in the worship and obedience 
she renders to his divine majesty, and so reason- 
able in her orders and ceremonies* As long as 
those vigilant pastors, the bishops of the Church 
of England, and the learned ministers that are 
under them, keep their watchful eyes fixed on the 
flocks committed to their charge, there is no cause 
to fear, that ever the Romish wolf will be in a con- 
dition to snatch so much as any single one of 
them out of their hands ; nor will any of her emis- 
saries, as subtile thieves as they be, ever be able 
by night to steal into the sheepfold to devour or 
massacre them, as they have already so often en- 
deavoured to do, I have since made this observa- 
tion on this sermon of the jesuit, which I heard 
from the beginning to the end, and I could wish 
all Protestants might seriously take it to heart, viz. 
that to pull down the Church of Rome, the great 
secret is not absolutely to reject, as some do, all 
that she practiseth ; but that the best way to com- 

Kass her downfall is, to retain all that is good in 
er, only rejecting the evil. If we absolutely re- 
ject all fasts, because they of the Church of Rome 

observe 



OF REVENGE, $c. C§ 

observe some of them, as they desire nothing more 
than to blacken the Protestants, representing their 
actions in the worst light they can, and always 
concealing* the good that is amongst them, they 
presently cry with open throat, that the Protes- 
tants are a sort of people that love nothing but 
their bellies, abhorring and abominating- what- 
ever serves to mortify the flesh. If we reject 
episcopacy, they hate (cry they) all manner of 
subjection, and love nothing but independency: if 
we refuse the use of Common Prayer, we are not 
joined in the hand of' charity, neither is their any 
union amongst us : if we not from time to time 
consult the ministers in cases of conscience, we 
reduce all to the private spirit. In a word, if we 
celebrate marriages and funerals, without any 
prayers or ceremonies, they say that Protestants 
go together like beasts, and are buried like dogs. 
At this rate, did this calumniating* jesuit, with a 
renowned malice, from the beginning- of his ser- 
mon to the end, endeavour to make them odious 
and execrable. Neither was it a hard matter for 
him to obtain his end, in a country where they are 
so little known, and where they are never men- 
tioned but under the notion of devils, heretics, new 
Christians, and Infidels. But the case would be 
much altered, if retaining what is good and law- 
ful, or only indifferent amongst them as far as may 
be, the Protestants would singly apply them- 
selves to oppose those points of doctrine or prac- 
tice amongst them, which first occasioned the Re- 
formation ; for so they would not be able to con- 
demn them in any thing', but by producing the 
points of doctrine and practice in controversy, 
with the oppositions made against them ; which 
is a thing they are very loath to do, for fear of dis- 
covering their own nakedness. An evident proof 
of what I here alledged, is the great care they 
take to hinder any books of controversy from com- 

G 3 ins; 



66 THE SECOND LETTER, 

ing into Italy, not so much as those which have 
been penned by the most famous men of their 
own party. I was extremely put to it, when I was 
at Rome, to meet the works of Monsieur Arnaud, 
which he had dedicated to the Pope, and which 1 
do not believe were ever yet translated into Ita- 
lian ; their design herein being* to prevent by 
all means imaginable, the true state of the ques- 
tion from being known ; for their objections are 
so weak, and the answers they make to those of 
the Protestants, so pitiful, that any unprejudiced 
mind may easily from their own books perceive on 
what side the truth lies. If ever there was an au- 
thor that strained his wits to calumniate and black- 
en the Protestants, it was, without doubt, Father 
Maimbiirfi the Jesuit, in his books of Lutltranism 
and Calvinism. When I was at Venice, I under- 
took the translation of all his works, and had al- 
ready translated several of his volumes, when I 
took in hand those of Luther anism and Cai&inism, 
but I was not a little surprized, when the m(|uisit4t* 
of Venice would not give me leave to continue the 
traduction ; and sometime after I received an or- 
der from the Pope, forbidding- me to print those 
two books, with another of the same authors,, 
treating about the growth of power of the bishops 
of Rome. The single title of bishop, which was 
given him in his last Treatise, instead of the mag- 
nificent titles of Pope and Sovereign Priest, toge - 
ther with some curious enquiries concerning the 
rise and progress of that prodigious grandeur to 
which the bishops of Rome are mounted at pre- 
sent, were a powerful motive to the Pope to con- 
demn it ; but I could not penetrate what reason 
he had to pronounce the same sentence against 
the other two, except it were, as I hinted before, 
to prevent the occasion of renewing in the minds 
of the Italians, the state of the question between 
* lx ^ Catholics and the Protestants. For notwith- 
standing 



OF REVENGE, Sfa 67 

standing both these books be fraught with scoffs-, 
injurious reproaches, and calumnies, coined on 
purpose to render a party contemptible, whom 
they had resolved by all manner of means to run 
down in the conceit of the people; yet for all this t 
Innocent the Xlth, did not believe that this beat- 
ing them down would prove of as great advantage 
to the Church of Home, as the publication of some 
points of doctrine that are there necessarily in- 
serted, might prove dangerous and mischievous to 
it. You can no way imagine, Sir, the extreme 
precautions the Popes make use to prevent any 
Frotestant book from being brought into Italy. As 
there is no other way to enter that country by 
land, without passing the Alps, they keep men 
express at all the passages thereof, to examine 
the travellers that come that way, and search them 
whether they have any forbidden books about 
them ; amongst which number are accounted all 
those that treat of controversies. In a journey 5 
made from Venice to Lyon, I took my way, in my 
return to Italy, through the land of Va/ois ; at 
the entry of this country, which is a kind of a 
straight or narrow passage of a mountain, there is 
a famous abbey of the canons regular of 8. Au~ 
stin, called S. Maurice. The River Rkosne, which 
is extremely impetuous and violent in this place, 
and which a little lower, disembogues itself into 
the Lake of Genoua, leaves only a very narrow 
way, by which one must necessarily pass to enter 
Italy. 

The abbot of S. Maurice, had built a gate at this 
pass ; and forasmuch as he is the master of it, the 
Popes who know it to be one of the keys of the 
Alps, which opens a way to Italy, have charged 
him to have a careful eye upon all passengers com- 
ing that way, that they do not bring with them any 
forbidden books ; because Geneva, which they 
stand in great fear of ? is no further from it than 



68 THE SECOND LETTER, 

the length of its lake. The promise the Pope had 
made to the abbot, of making him a bishop,' in case 
be were found faithful in the discharge of his com- 
mission, had made him very exact when I past by 
that way. He caused all passengers to be stopped 
without exception ; those that were on foot were 
searched at the gate by the guards, and those on 
horseback that had any appearance, were conduct- 
ed into the abbey, where the abbot entertained 
them very civilly, and made them eat with him, 
while they were searching their portmanteaus. The 
abbot, with whom I discoursed after dinner for a 
good while, told me, that the Pope allowed him 
money towards the entertainment of passengers, 
because without that the whole revenue of his 
abbey would not have been sufficient for it: and 
that he had sent him most pressing letters, to re- 
commend to him an extraordinary care of that post, 
whence he easily conceived, how much they ap- 
prehended the books of Protestants at Rome.—* 
And beings himself well acquainted with the tem- 
per of Italy, he told me, that if the Italians, and 
more particularly the Pope's subjects, might but 
have the least communication with Geneva, it 
might be greatly feared, they would • utterly cast 
off their obedience to the Pope. Indeed there 
are none that have more reason to know the 
weakness of that God on earth, of the sacred col- 
lege of cardinals, and of other ecclesiastics, than 
they who are the eye-witnesses of it ; neither are 
there any more concerned than they, to cast off a 
a yoke, which upon other accounts is so insup- 
portable to them. One can scarcely call to mind 
the flourishing condition of those fair provinces, 
that constitute the patrimony of S. Peter, with- 
out shedding of tears, to see them miserably 
groaning* and languishing at present under the 
oppressive domineering priests, wholly waste and 
desolate, and deprived of their former beauty and 

ornament. 



OF REVENGE, 69 

ornament. These famous and ancient cities of 
Ravenna, Benevento, Spoleto, Perusa, Orvietta, 
and so many more, which heretofore were the glory 
of Italy, are hardly any thing* else at present, but 
heaps of rubbish, occasioned by th^ insatiable 
avarice and rapaciousness of Popes. True it is, 
that naturally this country is the most pleasant 
and fruitful territory in the world ; but withal 
there is none more bare of money. The immense 
impositions the Pope lays on it, hare exhausted a 
great part of it ; and the legates he sends there 
every three years, strive by all manner of extor- 
tions, during their triennial governments, to squeeze 
out the rest, and then return to Rome loaden 
with the spoils of that miserable people ; where 
they are no sooner arrived, but they consume it 
with as much prodigality, as they had hooked it 
in by avarice and extortion. 

I will not here entertain you with the grandeur 
and luxury of the Roman court ; I may have an 
occasion to give you some account of that more at 
large hereafter. I shall only desire you to tell me, 
whether indeed you do not believe, that the Ita- 
lians have great reason to endeavour to deliver 
themselves from so oppressive an usurpation and 
tyranny, by withdrawing at the same time their 
consciences from so intolerable a slavery, and their 
estates from the hands of such merciless extor- 
tioners. For my part, Sir, I cannot question, but 
if the learned writings of the Protestants of the 
Church of England, could one day make their 
way into this country, and that they would only 
so far honour them, as to give them the reading ; 
I say, I doubt not but that popery, whose founda- 
tions they so evidently overturn, would find it- 
self at an end. Or rather let us say, that it shall 
be thus, when it shall please our great God the 
Father of Lights, to enlighten their minds towards 
an acknowledgement of their blindness, and to 
. warn 



i 



70 THE THIRD LETTER, 

warn their hearts by his holy grace, to embrace 
the truth ; that then, I say, we shall see all Italy 
turned Protestants against their own errors, and 
composing* one sheepfold with those, who so many 
years ag*o, courageously protested against them, 
under the one and only shepherd of our souls, 
the LordJesus Christ. I shall not trouble .you, Sir, 
wifir-fhe relation of other particulars and curiosi- 
ties, I observed at Genoua ; forasmuch as my de- 
sign is not, as I have hinted to you before, to give 
you an entire relation of my travels, but only to 
single out those matters that more particularly 
have some reference to religion. This is that I 
intend to do from time to time, in these my Let- 
ters, if I find you continuing to give them the 
same reception wherewitn you have favoured my 
first. It being my great wish to evince you with 
what zeal I am, Sir, 



LETTER III. 

OF THE HOSPITALS AND PI LG XI MB OF 
ITALY, Jj-e. 



To continue the account I have undertaken to 
give you, of the observations I made in my voy- 
age of Italy, relating to matters of religion, I 
shall tell you, Sir, that from Geno%m we took our 
way along the sea-coast, and in three days ar- 
rived at Sestre, an episcopal see, situate on the 
sea of JjiguHa. The bishop of the place received 
us with a great deal of civility. We had waved 

going 



OF HOSPITALS, $a 71 

going* by sea to Leghorne, because the Father, my 
companion, could not bear that kind of passage, 
and was besides very fearful of falling into the 
hands of pirates. None can be imagined more 
stoical in their discourses of Death, than the monks 
are, neither are any more cowardly and frightful 
than they, when they are in any likelihood of 
facing it. This made us resolve to pass the Apen- 
nine to Luca, and from thence continue our jou¥- 
ney through Tuscany. The bishop advised us to 
take Sfuides along- with us in passing* the moun- 
tain, forasmuch as otherwise he assured us, we 
should run a great hazard of being- robbed: that 
we had a three day's journey to pass through 
very desert and solitary ways, where we should 
meet with neither houses nor villages, except only 
two or three sorry inns at twelve leagues distance 
from each other. There are always plenty of these 
guides at Sestre, in a readiness to accompany 
travellers, being provided with carbines, blun- 
derbusses, pistols, and bayonets. The custom is 
to take two or three of them, or as many as one 
pleased, to pass the mountain, paying him two 
crowns a piece. Two Genova merchants intend- 
ing the same way, joined company with us, at 
the charge of four crowns. Our Benedictine, whom 
one would have thought a former journey he had 
made to It ah/, should have made more circum- 
spect, had a mind to make use of its wits, and to 
spare the crown he was to pay for his share to the 
guides we had taken ; saying, that he would spare 
that money, to make much of himself at the next 
inn he should come at ; that there was no danger 
at all in passing the mountain, and that all those 
guides were a company of knaves, who made it 
their business to frighten passengers, to get a 
piece of money out of them : but that he, for his 
part, was resolved they should have none of his. 
Thus having taken directions of the way in writ- 



f9 THE THIRD LETTER, 

ing, he went his way two hours before us. For 
my part, I remembered the counsel the bishop had 
given us ; who was a venerable old man ; and 
considered, that if it were only for the respect 
that is due to old age, we ought never (where it 
maybe done) reject the advice of such persons. 
For this reason, I joined myself with the Genovese 
merchants, resolving to go with them, attended by 
our guides. The Benedictine parted from us at six 
o'clock, though with an intent not to make s<? 
much haste, but that we might overtake him, so 
that he might have an opportunity of falling again 
(as it were by chance) into our company, without 
being obliged to pay any thing towards the guide* 
we had taken on our own accounts. But it so 
happened, that very unluckily for him, we stayed 
three hours longer than was intended ; for we did 
nor leave the oil v till eleven of the clock* We were 
extremely surprized, when at the end of seven 
leagues, upon the mountain, we found this poor 
monk sitting on a stone, in his boots, lamenting, 
and all in tears, for the mishap that had befallen 
him. lie had been set upon, in the same place by 
five robbers, who having dismounted him, had 
taken away all his money, and all they found in 
his portmanteau, except his Breviary, which they 
had restored to him ; which seemed to vex 
him more than all the rest : JRbr 9 (said he) had 
they hut token this with the rest, I should at least 
hare been excused from saying my breviary till I 
came to Rome. We made a shift to get him on 
horseback again, persuading one of the guides 
to lend him his ; in consideration of which, the 
monk promised to give him his boots, and we 
defrayed his charges between us till we came 
10 Luca. He assured us, That the men that 
had robbed him, were armed and cloathed in 
the same manner as the guides : and that if 
he were not extremely mistaken, he had seen the 

very 



OF HOSPITALS, fe. 73 

tery same persons in the market place of Sestre. 
We were told since, Thai these robbers are the very 
guides themselves, who accompanying travellers 
out of town, do afterwards by a shorter way get be~> 
fore them, placing themselves in ambush near the 
road by which they are sure they must pass and 
never fail of robbing those who have rejused to 
make use of them, or any of their companions* 
By ill-luck for our Father Benedictine* he had 
but lately received a bill of exchange at Turing 
and was not to receive another till he came to 
Home. This forced us to pari company, because 
I was not in a condition to hear Iiis expence and 
my own too. He resolved therefore to take 
his journey the best way he could to Rome, 
through the monasteries of all sorts of Orders and 
hospitals also, necessity forcing him thereto. I 
saw him afterwards at Rome, wnere I found him 
not wholly recovered yet from the miseries he 
had suffered since our parting". He gave me a par- 
ticular and full account of the hospitals at which 
he called in his journey, what they were, and 
the entertainment he had met with in them. 1 
have heard often Roman Catholics reproachfully 
object to Protestant*, That they have no hospitals 
amongst them to entertain strangers ; and con- 
founding- this kind of hospitality with charity, 
boldly conclude, That they are not charitable, and 
consequently no true children of the church. It 
is a mark of a weal cause, to lay hold of every 
thing it meets with to support itself, which, not- 
withstanding, commonly contributes most to its 
overthrow. To defeat this pretended charity of 
Catholics, it will be sufficient to relate to you, 
what this Father told me, and what I have learnt 
Of some other travellers, which I intend in part, to 
make the subject of this my third Letter. 

I shall tell you first of all in general, Sir, that 
all the ancient hospitals of Italy owe their foun- 

II dation 



74 THE THIRD LETTER, 

dation to the holy places of Rome and Loretto. 
The pilgrimages to these, some ag*es ago, by rea- 
son of more universal deluge of superstition were 
much more in vogue than they are at present ; 
though it were to be wished they were much less 
than they are. A man was scarcely reputed a 
good Christian except he had been at Rome. And 
the Popes perceiving- how much this vast con- 
course did augment their revenues, and rendered 
their capital city rich and wealthy, found a way 
to oblige confessors to enjoin their penitents for 
the expiation of the greatest sin, such as rape, in- 
cest, and murder, a journey thither ; so that there 
was no remission for these kind of sins without 
going to Rome. They afterwards made reserved 
cases of most of these kind of sins, whereof we 
find still at this day a great number in the bull, 
entituled, In Cwna Domini, reserving' to them- 
selves alone the power of absolving them, so that 
in these cases, the parties concerned must either 
go to Rome, or else resolve never to enter into 
Paradise. It is true, that at present they have be- 
thought themselves of a way to spare men this 
trouble, which is, of sending thither a good sum 
of money. With this they content themselves 
now ; for I am sur^, it is not the person they de- 
sire, but his purse, which at any time will abun- 
dantly supply his absence. And forasmuch as 
amongst the great number of pilgrims that flock- 
ed thither out of devotion, or of necessity, for the 
expiation of their sins, there were many poor peo- 
ple that had not wherewith to defray their 
charges in public inns ; many rich persons, moved 
with compassion towards these poor wretches, 
founded hospitals for their entertainment, where 
they received both lodging and diet ; or whatso- 
ever hour of the day they called there, had an alms 
given them, which they call La Passade ; ac- 
cording as the foundation was more or less en- 
dowed, 



OF HOSPITALS, fyc. 75 

dowed, such was the alms, in some places more, 
in others less. We met with many hospitals in 
Italy, that were founded towards the end of the 
10th, or the beginning of the 11th century; the 
cause of which was a false opinion that was up- 
permost then, viz. : that the day of judgment was 
near, grounded upon a forged tradition, which is 
preserved still to this day in the Church of Rome ; 
That Christ being asked by his apostles, how /our/ 
this outward world should last? he answered them, 
A thousand years and upward. So that the most 
part of Christian Princes, and great lords, about 
this time took a journey to Rome, founded hospi- 
tals for the poor pilgrims, and several abbeys, into 
which many of them retired themselves, in expec- 
tation of the dreadful day of judgment. As for 
the hospitals they founded, the care and adminis- 
tration of them was committed to priests, as being 
the men who think themselves concerned in all 
pious legacies, who very readily take upon them 
the care of those places, where they find a plen- 
tiful current of devotion-money. It was too much 
their interest, not to encourage so favourable be- 
ginnings, and therefore were not wanting any 
more than at this day, constantly to frequent the 
houses of widows and rich persons, to induce 
them by their last wills, to enlarge the revenues 
of their hospitals, of which they were constituted 
the stewards and overseers ; insomuch, that in a 
little time these hospitals became prodigiously 
rich. It remains now only, that we take a view of 
the use which is made of them at present, that 
thence we may judge, whether from them a good 
argument cau be drawn in favour of those of the 
Roman Communion ; to prove, that their charity 
so far exceeds that of the Protestants, as they 
would fain make people believe ; or, whether in- 
deed we have not much more reason to infer the 
contrary ? Our Benedictine, by sad experience, 

H 2 was 



76 THE THIRD LETTER, 

was in a condition of giving* me some information 
concerning 1 this matter : he told me, that after he 
had parted with me at Luca, which is a small re- 
public, he took his journey on foot by Alto Pas* 
so, which is a very ancient and famous hospital, 
founded by a queen of France, eight miles distant 
from Luca. He could not exactly tell me what 
were the revenues of that hospital ; but that this 
was the law of it, That all strangers, of what 
rank or quality soever, rich or poor, were to he ~ 
received and entertained there three days together, 
according to their quality. But that at present it 
admits of none besides the priests and monks that 
pass by that way, and to other travellers they 
give a loaf of half a pound weight, and a pint of 
wine at the gate; and before they can be admit- 
ted to this favour, they must produce several 
passports and letters, to prove themselves pil- 
grims, for want of which our Father was in a 
great danger of being shut out and rejected ; but 
instead thereof, he boldly produced his Letters of 
Obedience. The good priest who examined them, 
seeing that the tetter was written in Latin, in which 
probably he was: not over skilful, according to the 
custom of the priests of Italy, let it pass, saying*, 
that he perceived it was a travelling letter of the 
Apostolical Nuncio, at Turin; so that by this 
shift be was at last admitted. He told me, that his 
entertainment there was very tolerable, and that 
upon his enquiry into the manner of the govern- 
ment of that hospital, he found there were 25 that 
were intendants over it, some of them with the ti- 
tles of Guardians, Administrators and Receivers ; 
and others with the names of the First, Second, 
and Third Officers of the Pantry and Butlery, which 
were all rich clergymen, who divided amongst 
themselves almost all the revenues of that hospital, 
there being but a very inconsiderable part of it 
reserved for those few charitable deeds that are 

exercised 



OF HOSPITALS, g¥. 77 

exercised there. From thence he came to Pesche, 
which is a very fine city, a small days journey 
from thence, where there is a vast number of con- 
vents and monasteries. He went and presented 
himself for a lodging ; but every where they 
shut the door upon him ; for the Italian monks 
are very pitiless and never give any alms to stran- 
gers. They have an artifice amongst them they 
make use of to refuse poor passengers, which is 
this: all the monks and brothers have orders to 
tell them, that their abbot guardian, or prior, is not 
in the monastery ; and if you happen by chance 
to meet with the men themselves, they tell you, 
that the steward, butler, or some other officer that 
lias the purse, is gone abroad. By this means 
they make the poor travellers lose all patience, 
forcing them to depart without the least relief. 
Our monk being thus refused admittance every 
where, was fain to seek out an hospital, which he 
found very different from that of Alto Passo, for 
the bad entertainment he there met with, though 
it was with much more difficalty that he was ad- 
mitted, because his letter mentioned, that he was 
sent to Rome about business, and not upon the ac- 
count of devotion. For though, for the most part, 
they understand but little Latin, yet they are so 
wise as to put travellers upon shewing them these 
two words in their letters, Ex Devotione. Two 
hermits of those Italian vagabonds, who spent 
their life in running from one hospital to another, 
having perceived that our monk had been some- 
what rudely used by reason of his letter, came to 
him after supper, offering to remedy the matter, 
mid to supply the defect of his letter, so that he 
should never run the hazard of exposing himself 
to the like affront for the time to come. The way 
was this : they promised to draw up for him a 
letter of pilgrimage, and to affix to it the seal of 
the Archbishop of Lions, which they had counter - 

H 8 feited* 



78 THE THIRD LETTER, 

feited, So that the question now only was about 
a piece of money they demanded of our Bene die- 
tine, for this seasonable service ; who having none 
to give, offered them his Breviary. The one of 
them absolutely refused it, saying, that that was 
a bad implement to carry with one to hospitals : 
that it was long since they had been happily rob- 
bed of theirs, and by this means were excused 
from a tedious repeating of them, according to the 
decree of the sacred congregation at Rome to that 
purpose : Amisso vel ablato Breviaro, non tenelur 
Presbyter Officio: A priest is not bound to the 
duty of saying his Breviary, in case he hath lost, 
or is robbed of it. They added, that not long 
since they had seen a priest expelled an hospital, 
because having a Briviary about him, he had for- 
got or neglected to say the office before supper. 
But his companion accepted of the bargain, say- 
ing, He would make it his business to rid himself 
of it, the first booksellers shop he came at. Thus 
the Benedictine at the same time procured two 
advantages, the one of being rid of the trouble of 
saying his prayers ; the other, of having got a 
sure key to give him entrance into all hospitals, 
and this by means of a counterfeit letter of pil- 
grimages, which these two hermits were ready, 
lor th?ir money, to give to any that did desire it. 
The Father being thus provided, boldly prosecut- 
ed his journey through all the cities of Italy, till 
he came to Rome, having been every where re- 
ceived into the hospitals without any difficulty. 
But he protested to me, that if it were in his 
power to inflict a severe punishment upon all the 
guardians and administrators of them, he thought 
that in so doing*, he should render a most accept- 
able service to God, as well as to all poor pil- 
grims ; because, said he, it is a most lamentable 
thing" to see how they treat them ; what they give 
them to eat, does not amount to two-pence charges 



OF HOSPITALS, £fc 79 

for each person ; and this too in such a nasty 
and slovenly manner* that it turns one's stomach ; 
whilst in the mean time, those wretched priests 
engross and sweep all the money into their 
own coffers, to maintain their coach and horses, 
with the magnificent titles they take to themselves 
of high almoners, grand administrators, and grand 
priors of the hospital* It is an infamous thing- to 
see how they lodge poor strang-ers ; there are 
about twenty or thirty beds in a great room, where 
they lye two and two, or three and three in a bed, 
according- as they are stocked with company. Be- 
fore they are suffered to enter into this room, they 
are stripped stark naked in another, without suf- 
fering them so much as to keep on their shirts : 
this done, they are all of them shut up together 
till next morning. The beds are all rotten and 
spoiled, and crawling* with vermin, and most of 
them without any sheets. The hospitals, indeed, 
are well endowed i but it is the malicious contri- 
vance of those who have the care and administra- 
tion of them, to give their visitants the worst en- 
tertainment they can devise, to turn their stomachs 
from ever coming there again ; and indeed a man 
must be reduced to extreme necessity before he 
can resolve on a second visit. 

The Benedictine gave me a more particular ac- 
count of an hospital, which is in the hands of the 
Dominicans of Viierbo : these Fathers employed 
rheir utmost endeavours with the magistrates of 
the city, to procure the direction of it, promising', 
that they would make it their business to take a 
particular care of Pilgrims, by faithfully employ- 
ing- the revenues thereof for their use and relief ; 
whereupon at last, their request was granted them. 
But since this, forasmuch as they never had the 
least thought of performing their promise ; but to 
make use of it for their own advantage, they have 
taken up all the best part of the building for 

themselves, 



80 THE THIRD LETTER, 

themselves, and lodge the Pilgrims that visit them 
them in one of the cellars that belong to the 
house. Our Benedictine arriving here, met with 
a company of seven or eight Pilgrims besides 
himself, who were all together locked up in that 
cellar, without giving them either meat or drink, 
or beds to lie upon; and left them thus shut up 
till ten of the clock the next morning, at which 
time the door was opened for them. The Fathers 
Dominicans seeing them in great confusion com- 
ing forth from their miserable lodging, scoffed at 
them, asking them whether they had lined their 
insides well, and been lodged at their ease? 
desiring" them at their return from Rome, to call 
that wav, for that all things should be in areadi- 
ness to give them a very g'ood entertainment. All 
the world knows, that there is nothing of more 
dangerous consequence in Italy, than to offend a 
Dominician ; because, having the Inquisition in 
their hands, they commonly make excellent use of 
it, to avenge the least affront that is offered to them : 
wherefore these poor wretches were fain to slink 
away in silence, without as much as daring to re- 
ply one word to this their villainous scoffing at them., 
after having treated them so outrageously. The 
famous and rich hospital Loretto* to which vast 
and immense donations have been given in favour 
of Pilgrims, is for all that, but little better served 
than what we just now mentioned. 

To this purpose I shall relate to you a passage, 
whereof myself was witness, when I was at Zo- 
retto. I was walking in the great place which is 
between the church and that hospital, with two 
French priests, who had lodged there the night 
before. The guardians, it seems, are obliged to 
ring a bell, to gather pilgrims together before 
supper, that none of them may be absent : but 
these wretches, that have no more religion in 
them than dogs, and whose only desire is to de- 
fraud 



OF HOSPITALS, $c. 81 

fraud and pinch the poor Pilgrims, had on purpose 
omitted ringing of the bell, as they often dp. 
The French priests about six of the clock retired 
to the hospital, where they demanded of them, 
why they did not come sooner, and that supper 
time was past? They excused themselves by al- 
ledging, that they had not rung the bell for them: 
but they falsely and impudently maintained, that 
the bell had been rung- ; so that it was not possi- 
ble for them to obtain so much as a piece of bread 
for themselves that night. The next mornings the 
poor priests were so fearful of being' served the 
same trick, (for in that hospital they are obliged to 
give their visitants supper and lodging for three 
nights together) that they continued from three of 
the clock in the afternoon, until evening-, under 
the belfry. The guardians seeing, that it was im- 
possible to put them by their suppers, called them 
softly (about six of the clock) to come into the hall 
to supper ; which they very honestly refused to 
do till they had rung' the bell, to give warning to 
the rest of the Pilgrims : the guardians, though 
enraged at this, yet durst not but do it ; but aveng- 
ed themselves another way, by giving- them very 
bad wine. In other parts of Italy, they make use 
of other devices in their hospitals, to affright pil- 
grims from coming at them. At Parma and Tu- 
rin, they oblige them (all wearied as they are) to 
go into procession throughout the whole city, in 
the sight of all men, and to sing long litanies ; 
which makes persons that have the least spark of 
generosity, or those who are naturally more shame - 
faced than others, rather expose themselves to lie 
in the streets, yea, or perish for hunger, than to 
visit such kind of hospitals, where they must 
subject themselves to such odious laws. Others 
make it their business to spoil and deface all the 
passports of strangers, with great ugly black 
marks they make upon them, as a sign they have 

been 



82 THE THIRD LETTER, 

been entertained in such and such hospitals. Now 
persons that are any thing careful of preserving- 
their honour in their own country, and to keep 
their passports neat and clean, will take care how 
they present themselves to such places as those, 
whose charity is so infamously and ignominiously ad- 
min istered. In the mean time, by these scandalous 
fetches, they make shift to reduce their guests to a 
very small number; for the fewer visitants they have 
in a year, the greater is their dividend at the year's 
end. Others have the impudence to make them 
gain that by their own labour, which was destined 
for them out of charity : and indeed generally 
every where, if they be not there precisely at the 
set time, which ordinarily is an hour before 
night, they are irrecoverably shut out of the hos- 
pital ; and it is impossible, either by prayers or 
tears, to procure any entrance. Others again treat 
their guests very rudely in their discourse, and 
with the greatest disdain and contempt imaginable. 
In a word, charity is every where administered in 
so uncharitable and misbecoming a manner, that if 
the benefactors of those hospitals could once re- 
turn to life, and have the possession of their goods 
they formerly bequeathed to these places, I do 
persuade myself, that seeing the horrid abuses 
that are there practised, they would take heed of 
undertaking the like foundations for time to come. 

The Father told me, that he had been ill no 
place better treated than a new hospital that was 
a building at Montejiascone, three day's journey 
from Rome. It was about five or six years ago, 
that the priests of that place had been persuading 
the nobility and citizens of that small city, to con- 
tribute to this foundation. They had already pro- 
cured a considerable revenue, by the pious lega- 
cies of some ladies of quality, and some annual 
rents the city had granted towards it. The Bene- 
dictine seeing the good entertainment they had 

given 



OF HOSPITALS, & c. 83 

given him, said smilingly to the priests, who had 
the direction of the house, that he was very well 
satisfied with the good entertainment lie had re- 
ceived, that he prayed God to preserve in them 
this spirit of charity for the poor; and that he 
heartily wished for the good of their souls, that 
they might not one day become like others, by 
sharing the revenues of the hospital amongst 
themselves, and neglecting and abusing- the mem- 
bers of Jesus Christ, as they do. Many Pilgrims 
have assured me, that it is the greatest misery in 
the world, to take up one's lodging in any one of 
the old hospitals, notwithstanding that they are- 
the most richly endowed ; and that in the new 
hospital, they were well enough entertained be- 
cause the priests had not yet divided the revenue 
amongst themselves. They do like the garden- 
ers, who suffer the fruit to hang upon the tree, 
till it become to its full growth and maturity, and 
then gather it, and make their profit of it ; Gr like 
merchants lhat traffic in company, who do not 
divide the purse till it be full. All these exter- 
nal practices and shews of piety and devotion, 
visibly terminating in self-interest, make it evi- 
dent beyond dispute, that they proceeded from no 
other principles than avarice and hypocrisy. You 
may probably object to me here, Sir, that the Ita- 
lians, whom I have elsewhere represented to you 
as men of wit and understanding, must needs be 
very simple in suffering themselves to be per- 
suaded, to bestow their goods upon such foun- 
dations as these, considering the great abuse of 
them. To this, Sir, I shall answer, that the priests 
in all countries, have a very powerful ascendant 
over the spirits of the people, and that this, joined 
with the doctrine of the Church of Rome, which 
is, that the prayers of Pilgrims are of a particu- 
lar efficacy with God to deliver souls out of pur- 
gatory, and with the practice observed in these 



§4 THE THIRD LETTER, 

hospiteils, of obliging the Pilgrims at night to 
make long prayers for the souls of their deceased 
benefactors, and causing mass to be said for them 
in the chapels belonging to the said hospital, is a 
powerful motive, considering the false belief 
wherein they are engaged, to persuade them to 
if. Moreover, these priests are very dextrous in 
di vul gin g every where, that they are very faith- 
ful in the administration of their alms, that they 
are very careful in giving good entertainment to 
their Pilgrims, even so far as to contribute with 
their own money, to defray the charges they are 
at for provisions. But it is evident enough, that 
by a mental restriction, they must understand this 
of provisions for themselves, though before God 
they cannot by this means excuse themselves from 
lying. There was formerly many more hospitals 
in Italy than there be at present ; every monas- 
tery had its hospital. S. Odon, abbot of Clugny, 
seeing that these hospitals were all in vogue, and 
that it was a kind of devotion that made a great 
noise in the world, would not in this point come 
behind any seculars. He divided the vast reve- 
nues ox his abbey into three parts : the first was 
for the abbot, and entertainment of strangers of 
note, that came to the monastery : the second, for 
that maintenance of the monks, which was called 
the Conventual Portion ; and the third part, for < 
the relief of the poor, and the entertainment of 
Pilgrims, whose feet the abbot himself, as an ef- 
fect of his humility, was pleased to wash. Almost 
all the abbots of France, Germany and Italy, fol- 
lowed this example ; and in like manner made a 
tripartition of the revenues of their abbeys. But 
this their abundant charity, was not of any long' 
continuance ; for soon after, that which had been 
given with one hand, was taken away with the 
other. The share of the poor was lost, or rather 
confounded* with those of the abbot and the 

monies 



OF HOSPITALS, £c. 85 

monks. At present there are no more of these 
hospitals to be found in Italy, excepting one at 
Mont-Cassin, anil another at the Great Camaldule, 
where they entertain Pilgrims. The Chartreux 
monks have also another in the dutchy of Milan, 
at the monastery of Pavia. But it is not to their 
charity strangers are beholden for this conveni- 
ence, but to that of Galeacms, Viscount, Duke of 
Milan, their founder, who would have this mo- 
nastery, which he had endowed with a vast reve- 
nue, to be a place of public reception and enter- 
tainment for all, whether rich or poor. The Fa- 
thers of this foundation have since done their ut- 
most endeavour, to rid themselves of this hospita- 
lity, under the specious pretext, that it was a great 
disturbance of their solitude. But the lords and 
great men of that Dutchy, who by the charter of 
that foundation, are to be splendidly entertained 
there with all their train and equipage, as often as 
they pass that way, found themselves too much 
interested in this their petition, and therefore have 
always opposed it with all the vigor imaginable; 
so that they are still forced to continue the same, 
though sore against their wills. It is a thing but 
too well known in Italy, and avowed by all, that 
their clergy are extremely wanting in this great 
duty and distinguishing Christian badge of cha- 
rity. It is an observation J made myself, that the 
poor, who are over and above persuaded of this 
truth by their own experience, do seldom or never 
beg any alm.<£of them. As for the regular clergy, 
the Benedictine told me, that from the time of our 
parting, he had presented himself to all the mo- 
nasteries of his Order he met with, to obtain a 
lodging with th em, but that scarce ever had they 
been willing to receive them: the common an- 
swer he had from them was, That there was an 
hospital in the city, to which he had best address 
kiiiTself for entertainment ; and that when he 

I came 



86 THE THIRD LETTER, 

came thither, they absolutely refused him entrance, 
telling him There was a monastery of his Order 
in that city, and that it' was more proper for him 
to seek a lodging there* Thus this poor monk, 
•seeing* himself sometimes rejected on all sides la- 
mented his sad condition, occasioned by the scan- 
.dalous uncharitableness of the clergy, and his 
own brethren of the same Order. He added, That 
if it were in his power, he would abolish all these 
hospitals, as well as all pilgrimaging-. For, said 
he, as these hospitals are most scandalously admi- 
nistered, so neither can any thing be imagined 
more abominable, than the persons that take up 
their lodging in them ; amongst a score of them, 
it is hard to find one, that is come from his own 
country with a design to visit the holy places, be- 
ing for the most part of them a company of vaga- 
bonds, who make it their business every year to 
go the round of Italy. They commonly pass the 
summer in the Alps, and then begin their journey 
in autumn, spend their winter at Rome, Naples, or 
in Calabria; and in the spring begin their round 
anew, in order to return to their summer quarters 
in the mountains. The way they take to live 
is this : they beg in the day-time, go from one 
farm to another, leap hedges, rob orchards, and 
steal fowl they meet with on the highway, or in 
fhe back courts of country houses, or whatever else 
they meet with. After this good day's work, they 
retire towards the evening to some neighbouring 
village, where they know there is an hospital. 
Many of them travel up and down thus with their 
whole families, trailing their wives and children 
along with them. These generally profess them- 
selves to be new converts ; that formerly they 
were either Jews or Protestants ; but having ab- 
jured their errors, they have thereby reduced them- 
selves into so miserable a condition for the love 
of Jesus Christ. To this purpose they shew you 

very 



OF HOSPITALS, £c. 87 

very fair and plausible letters of credence, with 
fair great seals annexed to them. 

I bare sometimes diverted myself with question- 
ing this kind of people, about the ^principles of 
Judaism, er the Faith of Protesta^fts ; but they 
were never able to answer any^tSing to the pur- 
pose. Perceiving tb isy-temsle nearer to them, and 
demanded of them, how they came by these fair 
commendatory letters ; whereupon some of them 
freely owned to me, that they had bought them for 
their money of an abbot living at Turin, who made 
a trade and livelihood of it. That to this purpose 
he was furnished with all manner of seals, and 
could coun'erfeit all writing-hands. And as for 
themselves, they ingenuously confessed they had 
never been either Jews or Protestants, but that 
they made use of this artifice to induce people 
to a greater degree of charity towards them : be- 
sides these, we find many other sorts of hospital- 
haunters, that are never a jot better than those 
I have now mentioned ; some of these drag great 
chains after them, and iron manacles, declaring 
to have been slaves in Turkey, from whence they 
were miraculously delivered by some vows they 
made to Rome, or to our Lady of Lcretto : but if 
any one take them to task about these remote 
countries, they can answer nothing that is perti- 
nent ; and besides, it is notorious, that they buy 
their chains of the blacksmiths, which many Ita- 
lians have assured me to have been eye-witnesses 
of. Moreover they are, a sort of people so disso- 
lute in their manners, and so debauched, that were 
it true indeed, that the Blessed Virgin had 
wrought a miracle, to deliver them from their 
bondage, she ought by another to return them 
thither again. Another sort of Pilgrims well 
known in these hospitals, are a kind of" hermits of 
the nature of those two I mentioned before, who 
spend their time in strouling from one place of 

I 2 devotion 



88 THE THIRD LETTER, 

devotion to another, from Rome to Loretta, anil 
from Loreito to Rome, leading a most scandalous 
life. These are the men, wha, without any per- 
mission obtained from their bishops to lead an 
hermetic life, have taken up the habit of them- 
selves* I remember that at Lions, the vicar-ge- 
iieral caused one of these hermits to be seized, 
who in prison confessed, that he himself had 
given the habit to seventeen vagabond rogues 
like himself for three crowns a piece in consi- 
deration of which he had also furnished them 
with the cloth cut out, and sewed their gowns 
and cowls himself, and given them counterfeit 
letters to wander throughout German}/ and Italy* 
Now it is observable, that the guardians of hos- 
pitals do commonly give a better reception to 
those sort of cattle, than to passengers and Pil- 
grims, because they know their company is very 
apt to turn other people's stomachs from coming 
at them. These are the several sorts and divisions 
of hospital-mongers, which houses being beside 
ordered after the manner I have informed you ; 
judge, I pray you, Sir, whej&er the Church of 
Rome has reason to be so Mffy and proud of her 
Pilgrims and hospitals, or to reproach the Protes- 
tants for wanting such goodly ornaments, and tes- 
timonies of their charity ? For my part, I am firm 
in the opinion, that the Protestant's method in 
this point, is by far the better : they have very 
wisely retrenched these sort of pilgrimages, be- 
ing convinced that it is much better for a man to 
shut himself up in his closet, there to pray in se- 
cret to his- Heavenly Father, than to run up and 
down to pray to God and the saints in public 
places, as the Romanists do. They know that 
God has not tied up holiness, neither to time or 
place ; and that it is a great piece of folly to 
found places of entertainment for vagabonds, 
which are for the most part either lazy drones, 

or 



OF HOSPITALS, 69 

or wicked villains, which ought rather to be shut 
up in houses of correction, and made to work for 
their living, than to leave mem at their liberty, 
which they make such ill use of. As for what 
concerns strangers and travellers, if they happen 
to fall into some necessity, they are not wanting- 
in Prctestant countries, charitably to assist them 
in their needs, especially if they are known to be 
honest people. And as for the poor and necessi- 
tous that dwell in cities, the parishes to which 
they belong take notice of what their wants are, 
and take care to supply them. This, Sir, as far 
as I can judge, is a far better regulated charily 
and consequently also more pleasing to God, and 
such as was practised in the primitive times of the 
church. It may be, you will tell me, Sir, that 
the Pilgrims of the Church of Rome, are not all 
of them such pitiful wretches as I have now de- 
scribed, but that there are a vast number of per- 
sons of quality, of different ranks and conditions, 
who travel to Rome and Loretto, upon the ac- 
count of devotion, in imitation of S. Paul, S. Pe- 
lagia and Eustociiium, noble ladies, who under- 
took a Jerusalem voyage, to visit the holy places 
there, according to the testimony of S. Jerome ; 
and that such as these are the persons whose zeal 
your church extremely boasts itself of. I will not 
deny, Sir, but that indeed I have seen many persons of 
quality going into pilgrimage to Rome, and other 
places of devotion that are most in vogue ki Italy, 
neither would I altogether disapprove of their de- 
sign, could I find that the objects to which they 
pay their devotions, were in any degree worthy of 
them, and that they did it in a decent and edify- 
ing manner. But sincerely, to tell you my opi- 
nion, I could never see any thing in all Iiahj y 
that deserved a man's putting himself to so great 
charges, except only to see its fair cities, and the 
masterpieces of art and nature it contains : but in 

1 n this 



90 THE THIRD LETTER, 

this case it is curiosity, and not devotion, that 
puts men upon undertaking- that journey. Be- 
sides, Sir, the manner of your rich people going m 
pilgrimage is so extravagant, and so fraught with 
staring libertinism and licentiousness, that in truth 
they had much better keep at home, and honour 
God in their families, than to quit them as they 
do, to satisfy their lusts under a cloak of devo- 
tion, to the great scandal of all good and sober 
people. I question not but you will be of my 
mind, as soon as you shall have read the account 
I intend to give you in my next Letter, where- 
in I shall treat of my journey to Loretto. For 
the present, because I have not quitted Luea 9 
where I parted with my Benedictine, who has 
given me an occasion to write what I have done 
of hospitals ; I shall only tell you, before I part 
with this city, without giving you the descrip- 
tion of it, that being no part of my design, that 
as I was one day coming forth from my inn, I 
was extremely surprized to hear the people m 
the street swearing and blaspheming* the Ik>!y 
Dame of Jesus Christ. There was a great throng 
of people gathered together, who looked upon 
those that did so, without witnessing- the least 
horror, for hearing such execrable blasphemies* 
I demanded of them, with some indignation, why 
they suffered them to talk at such a rate ? They 
mildly answered me, that I was mistaken, and 
that they did neither swear nor blaspheme; but 
that it was only a particular quarrel about a piece 
of money of the value of a shilling, or thereabout* , 
which at Luca they call a Jesus Christ. The ma- 
gistrates of this city caused this money to be coin- 
ed in honour of a miraculous crucifix, which is 
kept in their cathedral, which (they say) did ei- 
ther weep, or speak, or bleed, these being the or- 
dinary miracles of these crucifixes. The figure of 
Jesus Christ hanging on the cross, is stamped up- 

on 



OF HOSPITALS, §c 91 

on this coin, which therefore they call a Christ. 
By which means, when they are at play, or upon 
quarrels arising- about payments, the adorable 
name of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ is not only very frequently taken in vain, 
hut also outraged and blasphemed, as those 
wretches, whom I have just now mentioned, did 
for one of these pieces, which the one of them re- 
stored to the other with these horrid words, Take 
there your R . . . . of a Christ. 

I have seen another sort of money at Bononia, call- 
ed & Madonnin ,t\\?& is to say, an Our Lady, or a Vir~ 
gin Mary, which is of the value of sixpence at Bono- 
wiry, upon occasion of which the same inconveniences 
do proportionably happen in the like disputes. Thus 
we see, that an imprudent devotion, ordinarily ter- 
minates in a great impiety. The Queen of Swe- 
den having seen one of these pieces of money, 
said smilingly to the cardinal of Lnca, That the 
Italians would have done mvch better to have 
stamped a coin, and hestowed the name of God 
upon it; intimating', that gold and silver were the 
God of Italy, there being no people in the world 
that worship it with more idolatry, and yet that are 
more lazy and careless in the gaining of if. 
From Luca I came to Pisa, an ancient city of 
Tuscany, situate upon the River Arno.~ Amongst 
other remarkable things, here is to be seen a fair 
church yard, called in Italian, Camp a Santo ; it* 
is exceeding large, and of a square figure. The 
walls and tombs of it are all of marble, jasper, 
and porphyry, very artificially wrought. They of 
Pisa, had tilled this place with the earth, which 
in a great number of vessels they brought from 
Jerusalem, and in which the dead bodies are 
consumed in twenty-four hours. In a word, they 
tell us, that this Holy Earth is nothing but a con- 
tinual miracle : but for my part, I find no more 
miracle in the case, than, there is in the church- 
yard 



82 THE THIRD LETTER, 

yard of S. Innocent's at Paris, where the bo- 
dies are consumed within the same compass of 
time, without any miracle at all. In all their 
churches they shew us a prodigious number of 
relics of saints and saintesses, as in all the rest 
of Italy, the most of which are extremely ridi- 
culous. I will not stop at present to give you a 
catalogue of them, but will pass on to Florence, 
where I shall have occasion to entertain you with 
the great devotion, that is so much in vogue and 
credit at a church called the Anonciade, or An- 
nunciation* The original of the devotion take as 
follows : a painter having been employed to make 
a picture of the Blessed Virgin, in the posture 
wherein the Romish tradition tells us she was* 
when the angel Gabriel was sent to her, to ac- 
quaint her with the incarnation of the word ; that 
is, in her chamber on her knees, reading the 
prophecy of Isaiah : the painter had finished all 
other parts of the picture, except one, to wit, the 
Virgin's face, which he had reserved for his last 
task ; but being at a loss what idea to follow, in 
representing to the life so excellent a creature* 
and despairing ever to find any thing in his art 
of sufficient perfection to reach this height, he in 
this trouble and discomposure of thoughts, fell a- 
sleep in the church, where he was at work, and 
awaking three or four hours after, (O strange pro- 
digy, and well deserving the wonder of all men . r ) 
he found the thing that had so much perplexed 
him, happily finished, and much better than ever 
he could hope to have done it himself ; whereupon 
he began to cry out amain, a miracle, a miracle I 
highly averring, that an angel sent from heaven 
had done the work whilst he was asleep. The 
friars of the convent where he wrought* finding 
their interest in the thing-, ranged themselves of 
his side, so that in a moment the devotion took 
fire, and the concourse of people to their church 

was 



OF HOSPITALS, $e. m 

was so great, and has ever since continued with 
such extraordinary success, as hath made it at 
this day, one of the richest of all Italy ; and the 
convent of friars, one of the best endowed. The 
refieefions I have made on this picture, is, that 
on many accounts all this might he no more thao 
a mere cheat or mistake. For first of all, some 
unknown person, or rather friar of skill in that 
art, entering by chance into the chapel where the 
painter was at work, and finding him asleep, might 
make use of that opportunity, and having finish- 
ed the work, retire himself before the painter 
awoke. Secondly, we may suppose that the painter, 
to make himself talked of, and to gain himself the 
credit and reputation of a good man, might have 
invented this lye himself. Or lastly, we may con- 
ceive that the friars of the convent, upon consi- 
deration of a good piece of money, might have in- 
duced him to have published this lye, to make their 
advantage of it. What I alledge here, that might 
have been, is not done with this intent, as if I had 
a mind by all manner of ways to disgrace and dis- 
credit this pretended miracle, by supposing it a 
piece of forgery. I know it is the character of a 
disingenuous and malicious spirit, to put a bad 
construction upon a matter that admits a favourable 
one; and verily, I would not, for all the world, 
expose myself to that reproach. But the reason 
of what I have said concerning this matter is, that 
I am otherwise satisfied on good grounds, that 
the point in question is a manifest and palpable 
falsehood. For first of all, if it were an angel, as 
it is pretended, that had painted this face of the 
Virgin^ as the work of an angel is far more per- 
fect than that of a man, it will follow, that this 
picture, at least as to the mixture and laying on 
of the colours, must have far excelled all the 
pieces of Caratche, Guido, Rhin, or any other of 
the most famous painters of Italy ; and in the 

mean 



94 THE THIRD LETTER, 

mean time we see the contrary, and that it does 
not at all exceed the rest of the pictures, fi- 
nished by the painter himself, which made a tra- 
veller, who eyed it very well say, That the an- 
gel-limner must have Been but a blockhead and 
bungler at his art, to draw such rude and incu- 
rious strokes. But besides this, we have another 
argument to convince the Romanists, that this is a 
false supposition; which is, that this portrai- 
ture of the Blessed Virgin, bears no resemblance 
hi all with those other pictures of the Virgin, 
which they pretend to have been drawn by the 
hand of S. Luke himself. The face here is round, 
fair and ruddy, with lively and brisk eyes, and a 
low and smooth forehead ; whereas, that painted 
by S. Luke, is long and swarthy, Egyptian-like, 
with an humble and modest look, and an high 
and prominent forehead, and which has nothing 
of that so charming a beauty of the Blessed Vir- 
gin, they so highly magnify when they speak of 
tier, being more proper to excite sensual lust, 
than any sentiment of devotion. Wherefore we 
must conclude, that either this angel was mistaken, 
or that S. Luke was a great ignoramus in the art 
of painting : which, notwithstanding, they tell 
us he was skillful in, to perfection ; for, without 
doubt, the one or the other must have been foully 
mistaken. To attribute this mistake to the angel, 
would be to derogate extremely, and against all 
reason, from the transcendant excellence of those 
blessed spirits ; and to accuse S. Luke, would, 
destroy their own tradition ; which they ought not 
so far to vilify and debase, as to make it give way 
to the particular testimony of a silly painter, who 
may be a liar as well as so many others ; I speak 
of him who drew this picture of (lie sinnunciaiion. 
Lastly, it might also as well be alledged, that the 
devil, for the encouragement and increase of.su- 
persstition, might have had a finger in the intrigue, 

as 



OF HOSPITALS, $c. 95 

as so peremptorily to assert, That it was an angel 
of lig-ht ; though to speak the truth, this is not 
very rational neither, for the devil is too cunning- 
to have done his work so much at random, and 
would without doubt rather have borrowed his 
idea from the picture of Sancta Maria Magiore at 
Rome* However the Popes have declared it to 
be a truth, they have approved the matter, and hare 
issued their bulls for the authorizing- of it, and 
thundered out their excommunications against 
those who would be so fool-hardy to doubt of it, 
being the same that other Popes have done in fa- 
vour of the pictures of S. Luke* This devotion 
has procured vast treasures to the Fathers of this 
convent called ServitL The great Duke of Tus- 
cany repaired thither every evening to say his 
prayers, whilst I was at Florence^ and it is the 
common rendezvous of strangers, that have a mind 
to see this court. He every day gave great alms to 
the poor at the door of the church, who all of thein, 
as I was told, were persons very well to live, 
though (to induce people more to compassion) they 
keep themselves covered with nothing- but rags. 
They have taken such firm possession of this post, 
that they will not suffer any strange beggar to 
mingle with them. By occasion of mentioning 
these beggars, and that you may somewhat the 
better apprehend the powerful virtue of the Holy 
Image, and the miracles the Virgin continually 
works in favour of those, who repair thither to 
pay her adorations, I will here relate to you a 
miracle which they cried along the streets of Flo- 
rence, as a thing that had lately happened, which 
print my curiosity prompted me to buy : the story 
seemed to me very gallant, and though it be 
something long-, yet I hope the recital will not 
seem tedious to you. 

A gentleman of one of the best families of Flo- 
rence, was fallen from a flourishing condition, by 

means 



m THE THIRD LETTER, 

means of some cross blasts of fortune, to extreme 
poverty. That which greatly added to his afflic- 
tion was, that he had two grown daughters that 
were not yet provided for; his only recourse to 
this miserable condition, was to the mother of 
God. And to enter himself the better into her 
favour, he made a vow to continue all his life long 
very devout to her miraculous image of the An- 
nuuciade : to this purpose he rose very early 
every morning, and went to say his prayers in 
the church-porch, before the doors were open- 
ed. After he had continued his devotion thus for 
a long time, the Blessed Virgin thought good at 
last to hear his prayers, and to send him some re- 
lief. Accordingly she inspired two blind men, 
of the number of those who always kept about 
the door of the church, to rise sooner than ordi- 
nary, to take their station in the church porch : 
being arrived there, one of them began to tell his 
companion, how much he was beholden to the 
miraculous Virgin, for that from extreme pover- 
ty, he had in a short time attained to competent 
riches, by the alms he had received there ; and, 
that besides the money in silver he had left at his 
lodging, he had two hundred pistoles in gold quil- 
ed in the crown of his hat. His blind comrade 
having heard this his discourse, told him, That for 
his part, he did not in the least envy his good luck, 
as being much more obliged to the miraculous 
image, and that he had quilted in his hat no less 
than five hundred jn stoles in gold. The gentle- 
man, who M as near to them at his prayers, with- 
out making the least noise, that might discover 
him to be there, having heard them discoursing* 
at this rate, and seeing so fair an opportunity of- 
fered him of enriching himself, very softly drew 
near to the two blind men, and very dextrously 
took off both their hats at once, retiring some 
paces backwards. The blind men being extreme- 



OF HOSPITALS, $c. 97 

ly aurprized hereat, and each of them believing 
his companion had done the feat, demanded their 
hats of one another, and proceeded to such a 
rage, that handling their crutches, they dis* 
charged several hearty strokes upon one ano- 
ther's heads ; and without doubt, had killed one 
another, if people had not come in to part thenu 
Whilst they were thus hotly engaged, the gentle- 
man went off, and finding some scruple in him- 
self, for what he had done, he goes the same 
day to the Cardinal-archbishop of Florence, to 
whom he told all that had past : the Archbishop 
having heard the relation, did fully approve of 
what he had done, and told him, that he was not 
at all obliged to make any restitution, forasmuch 
as it was apparent, that the Virgin had visibly 
assisted him in the whole course of that affair, 
in consideration of the devotion he bore to her 
miraculous portraiture; and ordered, that for the 
comfort of the faithful, it should be printed and 
published throughout the city of Florence. This 
same story has since been printed a-new, in a 
book which is very current in Italy, and has for 
its title, VUtile col Dclci, or profit with pleasure. 
You see here, Sir, a very pleasant miracle, where- 
in the Virgin, to pleasure one of her servants, 
makes a robber of him, and who, as such, ought 
to be punished according to the laws. For by 
what means soever these poor blind men might 
have picked up this money, however, theirs it 
was, and had been given them for alms. But if 
we suppose this to be a story invented at plea- 
sure, I am astonished that a cardinal-archbishop 
should ever cause it to be printed ; and that the 
Inquisitor, which in all other matters appears so 
exact and scrupulous, should licence the impres- 
sion of it in the book before mentioned. People 
are so cloyed with miracles in Italy, that except 
they contain something romantic and fabulous, 

% they 



98 THE THIRD LETTER, 

they are scarcely taken notice of. This is that 
which makes the Italians, who not without great 
reason, are accused of coining new ones every 
day, to have a great care to set them out with 
such rare and surprising, or such merry and 
pleasing circumstances, that it is very divertiz- 
mg to read them, or hear them related, I may 
have an occasion to give you a more particular 
account hereof in one of my Letters, and there- 
fore shall at present pass over in silence the 
many miracles of this famous church of the An- 
nunciade, to give you an account of some places 
of devotion, which are not far distant from the 
city of Florence, and which I had the curiosity to 
go and visit. 

It is amongst the high mountains of the Apennine, 
that we meet with three famous deserts, at a day's 
journey distance fiom each other, where as many 
heads of different orders had their beginning. 
The first of these is Camadvle, the second Yalom- 
brosa, and the third Mont Alverne. Of these 
Camaldule has, by way of pre-eminence, been 
called the Holy Desert, and is certainly one of the 
most desert places nature can produce. S.-Romtt- 
aldus obtained this place of an Earl, called MaU 
dnle, from whence it took its name Camaldule, as 
being a kind of abbreviation of Campmaldule, or 
the field of Maldule. Hither it was then that he 
retired to lead a penitent life, and having by his 
example engaged some disciples to join with him, 
he built there a monastery upon a very high 
mountain, in an interval lying between two tops 
or prominences thereof ; and afterwards beings de- 
sirous of a greater solitude, he retired to one of 
those tops, which is a place almost inaccessible, 
where he instituted a kind of double Order, one 
of Monks) and the other of Solitaries or Hermits ; 
but under the same habit and rule, excepting- only 
sorne particular constitutions to the one, with re- 
ference 



OF HOSPITALS, $c. 99 

x*rence to the hermitic life; and to the others, 
^ viie monastic. The monks dwelt in the monas- 
tery he had built below, and the solitaries re- 
tired with him to the top, which at present is 
called the Holy Desert. I arrived at this monas- 
tery in the beginning of October. From Florence 
it is in a manner a continual up-hill thither, and 
from thence one may discover that great and lofty 
city, with the country all about it, which affords 
a most pleasing prospect. These fathers have al- 
ways preserved hospitality amongst them, and to 
this day entertain all strangers that come thither, 
and treat them according to their quality for three 
days together. Forasmuch as their is neither inn, 
nor any houses near it, I went and presented my- 
self to the abbey, where I was very civilly re- 
ceived. 1 found here three Florentine gentlemen, 
to whose company I joined myself, and at night 
we were served at table with eggs and fish, with- 
out any superfluity ; but with a mediocrity well- 
becoming the religious state of these Fathers, 
with which I was much more edified than I had 
been at the Citeanx in France, where the abbot 
treated us with so much profusion and excess. 
We acquainted them we designed next day to go 
to the Sacred Desert; and accordingly they 
called us up at five the next morning, and made 
us sit down to eat at six. I was extremely sur- 
prized to see they had prepared dinner so early, 
when none of us had tne least appetite to meat : 
but they told us, that we must force ourselves to 
eat as well as we could, because the air was so 
piercing and cold in climbing up to the top of the 
mountain, that we should never be able to bear 
it, if we attempted it with empty stomachs: more- 
over, that we were to prepare ourselves to clam- 
ber on foot for six miles together on the rocks, 
and to march through the snow, before we could 
come to the top of the Holy Desert, and that there 

K 2 they 



100 ' TEE THIRD LETTER* 

they never gave any meat to any person, to avoid 
disturbing of their solitude ; so that we shidHHf 
be forced to come down from thence by the same 
way to the monastery, there to take a second re- 
freshment. We suffered ourselves therefore to be 
persuaded, and after we had eaten, we parted 
from the monastery about seven of the clock, and 
walked on towards the top, always compassing 
the mountain in a continued forest of tall fir-trees. 
All these rocks are full of little springs, from 
whence issueth a very clear water, whose rivulets 
disperse themselves all over the way by which we 
went ; so that one cannot climb very high with- 
out marching in the water, which is very trouble- 
some. These waters, meeting together from a 
considerable torrent which we passed and repassed 
upon great fir-trees laid over in the form of bridges. 
We arrived about noon at the top, after having 
marched two miles through the snow. This was 
in the month of October; but the top of the moun- 
tain is so cold, that when it rains below, it al- 
most continually snows here on high. We found 
the snow very high there, and had been so for 
eight days; so that at a distance we could see no- 
thing but the upper part of the church, and the 
tiles or covering of the cells ; we counted about 
sixty of them, which are about twenty paces dis- 
tant from one another, and taken all together from 
a little town : every cell hath several rooms, and 
a garden. They shewed us that of S. Romuald, 
which one of the hermits dwelt in. We asked 
them why they bore no greater respect to the 
eell of their happy founder, but left it to one of 
their religious to live in ? They told us, that this 
was the only way they had to preserve it against 
the moisture the place was obnoxious to ; and that 
otherwise the wood would rot, and the cell be in 
danger of falling down. They shewed us the 
cell of a venerable hermit, who, they assured us, 

had 



OF HOSPITALS, gfe. 101 

had not stirred thence for forty years together, 
and who still lived there in perpetual silence, not 
so much as speaking a word to any one. They 
put in his meat to him through a little window, 
which he took with great sobriety and modera- 
tion. These solitaries esteemed him a saint, for 
they value silence above all other virtues : which 
gave me occasion to demand of those who were 
ordered to accompany us, what kind of thing 
this great virtue of Silence was, and how they de- 
fined it \ They answered, that it was to be silent 
with men, in order to speak to God. Where- 
upon I replied, that it seemed to me to be better 
defined thus : To be silent or to speak when one 
ovght ; and that I could not approve of the use 
they had introduced amongst them of speaking to 
one another hg signs. We ourselves indeed had 
but newly experienced the inconveniences of it, 
at our first entrance into the Holy Desert ; for 
having found the court gate open, we went into 
rights; but when we were entered, not knowing 
which way to betake ourselves, we drew near to 
souie of these solitaries, who were busy in remov- 
ing of the snow to make a passage. We desired 
them to be so kind as to tell us, to whom we 
might address ourselves for to take a view of the 
place, but not so much as one of them opened their 
mouths to give us a word in answer. Some of 
them made signs to us with their hands and feet, 
and others with their brooms and shovels. We be- 
lieved at first,- that they were fools, or that they 
had a mind to drive us out again; but at last we 
apprehended that they made signs to us to return 
to the gate, and there speak with the porters, 
with whom we happily met. I immediately told 
these porters, that it appeared to me very strange, 
that God having given to men a tongue and a 
mouth, wherewith to express their thoughts, some 
persons instead of acknowledging this advantage 1 
God had given them above brute beasts, by a good 

K 3 and 



102 THE THIRD LETTER, 

and discreet use thereof, should undertake to make 
use of their hands and feet to express themselves, 
like those that are dumb-born, or that have their 
tongues cut out. That at the best this seemed to 
me very improper, and very far from appearing' to 
he a virtue fit to make men good and holy. They 
answered me, That these were mysteries hid and 
unknoivn to seculars, and only revealed by God to 
solitaries and perfect souls, who knew the excel- 
lence of it. The sins (proceeded he) of the men 
of the world, are gross sins, such as coYetousness, 
envy, luxury, blasphemy, &c. but as for us, our 
greatest sins are, when sometimes by frailty we 
do break our observance of silence ; to iralk icith 
too much haste and precipitation ; to cast some 
curious, though innocent looks ; to be slovenly in 
cur habits; to have preferred sometimes vocal, to 
mental prayer ; to have been too much pleased 
with the taste of heavenly comfort, or too heavy 
and cast down under sufferings. I seemed to per- 
ceive in these answers, something' of pride and 
haughtiness, and that smelt strong of a pharisai- 
cal non sum sicut cceteri hominum, 1 am not like 
other men, and which made me fear that pride (having- 
been the sin of the angels in heaven) might, pro- 
bably also, be the sin of these solitaries here on 
the top of the mountain. And indeed, so far were 
all these dazzling shews of piety from making me 
conceive any inclination for these material soli- 
tudes, which seemed so much to facilitate the 
practice thereof, that on the contrary, it made me 
conceive a greater love for an ordinary and hum- 
ble life in the world, accompanied with all those 
pious practices which in such a life we have con- 
tinual opportunities to exert. It appeared to me, 
that these solitaries placed the whole and main of 
godliness in some trifling observances, which yet 
are powerful enough to make them wander from 
the paths of that charity they ought to have for 

those 



OF HOSPITALS, &c, 103 

those who are engaged in the commerce of ihe 
world, as looking upon them no otherwise than 
as men that are in the highway to utter perdi- 
tion, and for whom there is almost no hope of 
salvation. Surely, such thoughts as these can- 
not be said to comply with charity; for without 
doubt, some seculars living in the world, are as 
acceptable in the eyes of God, as these hermits 
on the mountains. The porters told us, That 
three times a week they of the monastery below 
brought up viands, and other necessary provisions 
for the sustenance of those who lived in the sacred 
desart. At last they conducted us to the church, 
which is very little and narrow, all lined ^nd 
wainscotted with wood, against the moisture and 
great coldness of the place. They assured us, 
That some certain winters, the cells, church and 
all, were wholly buried in the snow, and that they 
were fain to hollow themselves out passages 
below through the mow, making some holes to 
the top to let in the light, for to pass front one 
cell to another, which then appeared like so many 
great white vaults. They told us, that all the 
while they live \inder the snow, they are very 
little sensible of the cold; but to preserve them- 
selves from the ill effects of the moisture, they 
keep good wood fires, that burn day and night, 
as having very near them vast forests of pine, 
chesnut, and fir-trees, which do furnish them with 
wood in great abundance. After we had visited 
the church, we returned by the same way we 
came, and arrived to the abbey about five of the 
clock in the evening, where we were civilly en- 
tertained as before. It is only this monastery that 
is still maintained in good observance ; all other 
monks of the same Order, who have any Monas- 
teries in Italy, lead a very scandalous life. We 
parted thence the next day, after that w</ had re- 
turned our thanks to these Fathers, and knowing 



104 THE THIRD LETTER, 

that the abbey of Valombrosa, which is chief of 
another order of monks, very famous in Italy, 
was not above a day's journey from thence, we all 
of us travelled thither. We went down hill for 
some miles, and afterward, coasted about the Ap- 
pennine by a very pleasant way. We travelled a 
great way through woods of oli ve-trees, all loaded 
with olives, and ever and anon met with small 
hills full of orange and citron-trees, full hung 
with citrons and oranges. Some of them are so 
high, that a man on horseback may pass under them, 
without touching the branches. After they have 
been once planted, they grow, without standing 
in need of any art or husbandry. All these sides 
of the mountains are exceeding rich, as abound- 
ing with all sorts of fruit-trees, and at the bottom 
of every one of these trees, there is a stock of a 
vine that embraceth it, and enterlacing its branchs 
with those of the trees, does at the season make a 
very pleasant mixture of its grapes with the fruit. 
After half a day's journey, we were obliged to 
mount the Apennine, for four miles together, 
through very stoney and rugged ways, until we 
came to Valombrosa, in Latin Vallis Umbrosa. 
This place is indeed a valley with respect to the 
tops of the mountains, that raise themselves a great 
height above it ; but if we compare it with the 
level of the country that lies beneath, it is a very 
high mountain, and very cold; for there are no 
fruit trees to be seen here, except only some ches- 
nut-trees, and a few apple-trees. The great for- 
ests of pine and fir-trees that encompass it, in 
former times, rendered the place very dark and 
shady, which was the occasion of giving it the 
name of Valombrosa. S. John Gualbert made 
choice of this place for his retirement. He natu- 
rally was a lover of these kind of places, and in 
all his travels whensoever he met with any dark 
wood, or very solitary place, he cast in his mind, 

some 



OF HOSPITALS, fre. 105 

some time or other to come and fix his abode 
there, and to be the founder of a monastery, I am 
frequently obliged in my Letters, in compli- 
ance with the exigency of my matter, to relate to 
you several vicious and wicked actions of the Ita- 
lian priests and monks; a thing very contrary to 
my natural inclination, which prompts me to con- 
ceal the ill, and to publish only the good. Where- 
fore, a little to refresh my wearied pen, and to 
comply with the desire I have to honour the 
memory of great men, you will give me leave, 
Sir, I hope, to give myself the satisfaction of re- 
lating to you an action truly virtuous and memor- 
able of S. John Gualbert. This young lord had 
a brother, whom he most tenderly loved, who be- 
ing engaged in a duel, was unhappily killed by 
his rival. Gualbert supposed it would be an ac- 
tion worthy of his honour and great courage, to 
endeavour to avenge the death of his brother. To 
this purpose he engaged himself in pursuit of this 
homicide, who being fled, he went in quest of 
him throughout all the provinces of Italy. It 
happened at length that he met with him disarm- 
ed in a way where he could not escape him. The 
unhappy wretch seeing him come towards him 
with his drawn sword in his hand, cast himself 
prostrate on the ground, crying* for mercy; but 
perceiving by his thundering voice, and his in- 
flamed looks, that there was no quarter to be 
hoped for, laid his arms across his breast, in ex- 

Kectation of the mortal thrust. Gualbert seeing 
im in this posture, called to mind our Lord Jesus 
Christ hanging on the cross, who was so far from 
avenging himself, that he not only prayed for his 
persecutors, but died for them. This thought 
having quite spoiled his former design, he alights 
from his horse, and instead of running* his enemy 
through, he freely forgave him, kissed him and 
embraced him, and tendered him ever after as his 

own 



106 THE THIRD LETTER, 

own brother. If the Italians and other Papists, 
instead of amusing themselves about the super- 
stitious worship of their saints, would once apply 
themselves to imitate these lovely examples of 
their virtues, they w ould, without doubt, render 
themselves more acceptable to God, neither would 
they be found so basely and abominably avenging 
themselves as they do. I return now to my so- 
litude of Valombrosa : we arrived at this famous 
abbey, where are some of the most magnificent 
and sumptuous buildings that can be. One of the 
Florentine gentlemen that was with me had a 
brother there, who was the chief person there, 
next to the abbot, for whose sake we were civilly 
received. The monks here lead a very commodi- 
ous and pleasant life ; when they are weary of liv- 
ing in this desert, they make an enterchange with 
the monks of Florence, and thereby enjoy the 
pleasing variety of living one part of the year in 
the country, and the other in the city. They have 
cut down for a quarter of a league round their 
monastery, all the great fir trees that shadowed it, 
to give themselves more air, and to make the 

fdace more healthy. The next morning we were 
ed to the hermitage of S. John Gualbert which 
is about half a league distance, from the point of 
a little rock which lifts up itself in the midst of a 
valley, being very craggy on every side. In get- 
ting up to it, we went round the rock, as by a 
w ind ing stairs, for the space of one quarter of an 
hour, at the end of which, we found ourselves at 
the top of the rock, where the hermitage is ; which 
consists of a very neat chapel, curiously gilt and 
painted all over, and a very handsome set of lodg- 
ings, well wainscotted and painted all within, 
with a garden of a moderate size, so that the 
whole is a mere jewel. There is no monument 
left here of the ancient cell of this saint, all the 
buildings being new and modern : there is always 

a father 



OF HOSPITALS, 107 

a father hermit that dwells here, with a converse 
brother to serve him. Whenever the hermit dies, 
the abbots of the congregation of Valombrosa, at 
their general chapter, make choice of a monk of 
exemplary life, and a lover of solitude to reside 
there. The great abbey is to furnish him with all 
necessaries of life : he has a very fine library full 
of choice books when he has a mind to study, and 
indeed the hermit that was then in possession of 
the place, was a man of competent learning, and 
appeared to me a very honest man. He made us 
a very fine discourse about the Contempt of the 
world, and the advantages of retirement and so- 
litude : though indeed there was no great need of 
it, for we were already, without all that, so charm- 
ed with the beauty of this hermitage, that in case 
there had been more of the same cut, nature, ra- 
ther than grace, would easily have persuaded us 
to become hermits, in order to enjoy an easy and 
pleasant life, without either care or trouble. The 
monks of Valombrosa have extremely relaxed the 
strictness of their first institution. They are 
cloathed in black, and profess the rule of S. Ben- 
net, though indeed they observe but little of it. 
The next day we set out very betime in the morn- 
ing towards Mount Alverne. This is the place 
were the seraphic Father S Francis, founder of all 
the religious Orders that live under his rule, re- 
tired himself to spend his life in contemplation, 
and where, as they tell us, he received the im- 
pression of the sacred wound. This day's journey 
was exceeding troublesome to us : we went up 
from Valombrosa, by the direction of a guide we 
took along with us, t o the very top of the Appennine^ 
and continued our way upon the same, till we came 
to the foot of Alverne* This mountain is disco- 
vered at a great distance, and some maintain it to 
be the highest of all the Appennine. It hath no- 
thing that is pleasing or delightful about it, nei- 



108 



THE THIRD LETTER, 



ther is any thing to be seen here besides bare 
rooks, without either trees or verdure. It is so 
high, that it seldom or never rains there, which 
was the reason we found no snow here. We got 
up to it with a great deed of trouble and difficul- 
ty, by a very narrow way between extreme high 
precipices, and we could not gain the top of it, 
till it was in a manner quite night. Here we 
found a large convent of religious, of the Order 
of S. Francis, called by the Italians, Soccolanti, 
because of the wooden socks they wear instead 
of shoes. The first thing- we did was, to enquire 
where we might lodge for that night : the fathers 
told us, there was an inn close by for the enter- 
tainment of strangers. Formerly these religious 
exercised hospitality towards all sorts of persons, 
that out of devotion came to Alverne, as the Fa- 
thers ofCamaldule do to this day, to those who come 
to visit the Holy Desert, whereof I have spoken be- 
fore; but at present they are weary of this piece of 
service, and do employ the fund destinated to that 
purpose to their own advantage. By bad hap for 
us, there was no body in the inn, the innkeeper 
with all his family being gone to a wedding, a 
day's journey from the place ; so that we were 
obliged to return to the convent, and entreat the 
Fathers to afford us some shelter amongst them 
for that night, since there was no other place for 
us to bestow ourselves. The Fathers seeing ho 
remedy, granted our request, but with so much a- 
verseness and ill-will, that we could not but won- 
der to see that persons, who for the most part live 
upon the alms that are abundantly contributed to 
them by seculars, should refuse to assist them up- 
on occasion. They shewed us a chamber where 
we might lie, but as for affording us any thing to 
eat, they desired our excuse, telling us, that they 
had none for themselves ; being thus resolved to 
leave us without either meat or fire, though the 

nights 



OF HOSPITALS, $e. 109 

nights be exceeding* cold there, upon the pretence 
of the trouble they had in getting their wood, as 
being obliged tp fetch it from the foot of the 
mountain. We desired them at least to be so 
kind, to give us leave to enter their kitchen, for 
to warm ourselves a little at their common fire ; 
but they being very loath that we should see the 
good provisions they had there prepared for 
themselves, told us, That they could not grant 
our request, because they had some of their fa- 
thers that are sick about the fire ; saying of 
their office. One of the Florentine gentlemen 
that was in our company, knowing that the con- 
vent was never destitute of provisions, broke out 
into a passion against the guardian and reproach- 
ing him with his base incivility, told him, That 
he constantly three times a week sent a good 
quantity of bread and wine to their great convent 
at Florence ; but that he was resolved to stop his 
hand for time to come, and give them the bag f 
and that moreover he himself would acquaint them 
with the reason moving him so to do. This ad- 
vertisement made the guardian presently change 
his note, and having excused himself for what was 
past, in consideration of the benefactor of his Or- 
der, he himself conducted us into the kitchen, 
where instead of these sick fathers, and mumblers 
of their offices, we found there four or five fat and 
bonny friars playing at dice, a great pot boiling 
over the fire, besides several joints of meat a 
roasting. One of these friars seeing us come in, 
very nimbly snatched up the dice and boxes into 
his v gown ; but a while after forgetting himself, 
rose up, and let all tumble down on the ground. 
The father guardian perceiving the mischance that 
had happened, excused them the best he could, tell- 
ing us, that having been that day a great way off a 
preaching, to refresh themselves they had made 
bold with a little recreation. In fine, they made 

h US 



110 THE THIRD LETTER, 

us sup with them, and we were very well treat- 
ed. After supper, they conducted us to our cham- 
ber, where we found a very good fire. The next 
day, one of these fathers accompanied us to shew 
us the holy places of Mount Alverne. We were 
extremely surprised to see the surface of this 
mountain, which we had not had the time the 
night before to take notice of, because it was very 
late when we arrived. The whole mountain is 
nothing else but a company of rocks, heaped one 
upon another, and all cleft asunder, forming as 
many hideous precipices, which cannot be viewed 
without horror. Some believe that these rocks 
were rent asunder at the death of our Lord : S. 
Francis was of this mind, when he pitched upon 
this place for his v retirement, to meditate upon the 
sacred mysteries of the passion. They shewed 
us the place where the history of his life tell us, 
that Jesus Christ appeared to him in the form of 
a Seraphim on the cross, and imprinted in his 
hands, his feet, and his side, the fiv e wounds that 
were given him on the cross, to the end it might be 
said, that S. Francis had suffered as much as he. 
But indeed, according to this account, he would 
have suffered much more ; for the same legend 
adds, that he suffered even till his death, the 
pains of Jesus Christ as sensibly, as Jesus Christ 
felt them, when he received them on the cross ; 
and that from that time forward, the life he lived 
was continued by a perpetual miracle, which pre- 
served his life in the midst of a continual death. 
For my part, I find this pretended apparition of 
Jesus Christ like a seraphim with wings extreme- 
ly improper, not to say ridiculous ; why not ra- 
ther in his human form? He that would not take 
upon him the nature of angels, shall we believe 
that he would ever take their figure ? And would 
not this highly favour the opinion of those ancient 
heretics who maintained, That the son of God 



OF HOSPITALS, $e. Ill 

had only taken upon him an airy and pliant asiU 
cal body ? And to speak my mind, I believe that 
this impression of the wounds, was only perform- 
ed in the strong imagination of S. Francis, mueh 
like some others hare imagined, that they had feet 
of waxj and a head of glass. The place where it 
is said that this miraculous operation was cele- 
brated, is under a great stone, whereof the one 
and only is wedged into the rocks, yet so as ac- 
cording to my understanding* is sufficient for its 
support. Nevertheless, these Fathers every where 
proclaim this for a great miracle, and that it can- 
not be conceived but that naturally the stone must 
needs fall. Near to this they shew us a little path 
way, very narrow, upon the brink of a vast preci- 
pice, which was the way by which S. Francis 
went to pray under that rock, The devil envying 
his great devotion, attempted upon a time to cast 
him down headlong ; but he seeing the enemy of 
mankind coming towards him, leaned himself 
against the rock, which made way for his body, 
softening like wax to receive him. They still 
shew this impression of his body left in the rock, 
but which may as well have been done with a. 
chissel, as the way they tell us. As for the devil, 
sure it is that the Roman Catholics make many 
pretty stories of him, that are not always very 
authentic. I remember to have seen in France, 
in the church of S. Columb, near Sens, a very 
pleasant history, represented en relief upon an 
holy water bason of marble, near the door of the 
church, concerning an holy hermit called Beet. 
The devil being come on a certain time to distract 
his thoughts, whilst he was saying' of his office, 
the saint laying hold of him, lift him up by the 
ears, and put him into the basin, and having laid 
his Breviary upon it, kept him a prisoner there 
for ten days together. Nothing can be imagined 
more comical, than to see the representation of 

L 2 thk 



112 THE THIRD LETTER, 

this devil, who (as far as he is able) lifts up his 
great asses ears above the holy-water, with the 
marks of an extreme rage in his countenance : 
For (say they) he fears the holy-water, many de- 
grees beyond the fire of hell. The monks of this 
abbey thought good to be at the charge of this 
work, ad perpetuam rei memoriam. But 1 return 
now to mount Alverne. The Fathers afterwards 
shewed us many other places in the rocks where 
S. Francis performed his religious exercises, and 
amongst others, that where he wrought the con- 
stitutions of his Order, whereof I have seen the 
original written with his own hand, at our La^y of 
Portiuncule, which is a little chapel, in Umbria, 
about five miles from Assise. Here it was, as they 
tell us, that he had many revelations and appari- 
tions : amongst the rest, they tell us of an appa- 
rition of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, in consider- 
ation of the great zeal of this saint for the salva- 
tion of sinners, granted to him as plenary, an in- 
dulgence as he could give, that is to say, an entire 
remission of guilt and punishment for all those, 
who the first day of August should visit this lit- 
tle chapel: so that the grand universal jubilee of 
the holy year, is not more saving to sinners than 
this of S. Francis. Any person who on this day 
goes to visit that chapel, with intention to enjoy 
ihe advantage of this jubilee, with saying five 
Pater Nosters, and as many Ave Maries, be he 
the most abominable sinner that lives on earth, 
becomes as pure and innocent, as he was when 
newly baptized ; and should he die in that con- 
dition, there is neither hell nor purgatory for him, 
but would go directly to Paradise. And conform- 
able to this belief of the Roman Catholics, and 
more particularly of the Italians, there is such a 
prodigious concourse of people on this day from 
all parts, that it causes a famine in all the coun- 
try thereabouts, and many arc killed in the throng 



OF HOSPITALS, $c. 1 13 

that is at the dow of the church, who then go to 
enjoy the privilege of their indulgence in the 
other world. Now seeing all this, must not we 
avow, that either the Roman Catholics are very 
blind, or else very negligent of their salvation, 
when in the most importunate affair imaginable, 
and the greatest concern of their immortal souls,, 
the remissions of their sins, rely upon the word of 
a mortal man? Thc^ir S. Francis has told them, 
that by going to g'uch a place on such a day, and 
there saying such and such prayers, their sins, 
with all the chastisement due to them for the 
same, shall be entirely forgiven them, and that he 
has received the assurance of this from the mouth 
of Jesus Christ himself, who (he said appeared in 
particular to him for this purpose; and without 
examining that matter any further, they believe 
it, they rely upon his word, and cast behind 
their backs (O stupendous occcecation ! ) the sa- 
cred oracles of the gospel, which do seriously 
warn them, that the only way to have their sins 
pardoned, is true repentance. The Fathers Soceo- 
lauti of the Order of S. Francis, who are ex- 
tremely enriched by means of this devotion, have 
built themselves in this place a very fair convent, 
and forasmuch as the chapel was too little for 
their use, they have built a great and^ magnificent 
church round about it, so as the little church 
stands now enclosed in the greater. I never yet 
saw any place of devotion in Italy, which had 
not some fair palace, and a good kitchen for the 
iise and accommodation of those who make the 
best of it, which I confess, makes them still the 
more suspicious to me. Five miles distant from 
hence, we met with Assise, which is a pretty 
town, situate on a hill : this is the place where 
S. Francis was born, and where they say his 
body reposed at the great convent of the Fran- 
ciscans, in a subterranean chapei, under the high 

L 3 altar.. 



114 THE THIRD LETTER, 

altar* It is said, that his body, and that of S. Do- 
minic, continue there without the least symptom 
of corruption, and that they stand both upright 
on their feet, hand in hand, without any thing 
to uphold them ; and that it hath pleased God 
thus to permit, that these two saints* that had 
been such great friends during their lives, should 
not be separated after death. This is a mystery 
that is not suffered to be seen at present ; the 
Pope himself, for all his pretended power in hea- 
ven and on earth, is not admitted to this privi- 
lege, since one of his predecessors miscarried in 
the attempt, who being* resolved to take a view 
of this rare wonder, died suddenly : and soon af- 
ter, both these saints appeared to an honest Fran- 
ciscan friar, and told him, that the like should 
happen to all those who should be so fool-hardy 
to attempt the same thing. But yet notwithstand- 
ing all this tradition, the Fathers Soccolanti, who 
constitute a distinct body from that of the Fran- 
ciscans, assures us, that they have the body of S. 
Francis at Portiuncule, which (as I have already 
said) is not above five miles distant from thence ; 
as well as the Dominicans maintain, that they 
have the body of their patriarch in their great 
convent at Dononia. Indeed, the reason why the 
Popes do not visit this place, is not because they 
are afraid of meeting death there, but because 
they are afraid of disobliging of one of these po- 
tent parties, I mean the Franciscans, or the Do- 
minicans; since it is evident, they could not make 
the discovery without ruining one or other of 
these devotions, which would be a vast prejudice 
to these religious orders ; wherefore they like bet- 
ter to leave the people in superstition and error, 
than to open their eyes at their own cost. The 
Pope is obliged to cultivate and improve the in- 
terest of the monks, forasmuch as they support 
his interest* 

The 



OF HOSPITALS, |I5 

The third thing 1 wherewith I designed to enter- 
tain you, before my closing of this Letter con- 
cerning S. Francis, is, that amongst other things, 
I saw a small convent which he built himself, 
with the assistance of his brethren, in a descent 
from the Appennine, leading to a town of Italy \ 
called The Borough of the Holy Sepulchre. lie 
lived in this convent several years, and designed 
it for a model to those convents of his Order, that 
should be built for time to come. To speak the 
truth, I never in my life saw so wretched a 
dwelling. The whole convent is nothing else 
but a company of holes or caves, more proper to 
lodge bears, than for men to retire in. Now I 
could wish that men would a little compare this 

Eoor hovel, with those magnificent convents which 
is children, I mean those who profess to live 
under his rule, have built throughout all Italy / 
to wit, those grand convents of Rome, Naples, 
Venice, and in a word, of all the other cities. 
Have not the most famous architects exhausted 
their art, and racked their brains, to perform the 
model of them? the most renowned painters em- 
ployed their utmost skill and choicest colours to 
make all their walls a pleasing' and lively story ? 
the most curious gilders their finest gold, to make 
tfiereof ceilings bright and luminous? and last- 
ly, have not the bowels of the Apennine been ra- 
vaged for the finest marbles, the choicest jaspers, 
and rarest porphyries, to form the pillars that 
support them, to pave their cloisters, their refec- 
tories, and their dormitories ; and to compose all 
the doors, windows, and chimneys of their cells ? 
The Capuchin Fathers are the only men that have 
witnessed some horror for so extravagant a pomp, 
so diametrically opposite to the laws of humility 
and poverty, which they received from, their le- 
gislator S. Francis. They engaged themselves 
at the beginning of their reformation, to a certain 

standard 



116 THE THIRD LETTER, 

standard of building their convents, which was 
both very modest and regular; only they have 
always had a great care to provide themselves 
fair gardens, with fine parterres, pleasant foun- 
tains, and great walks of trees, which are com- 
monly frequented by the gentlemen of cities that 
are near them, to take the air in. The Capuchins 
are at this day the best gardeners in Europe* In 
Italy, they furnish all the ladies with flowers, and 
big-bellied women with fruit. But we find, that 
of late they have lost much of their modesty in 
building too : the new buildings they make at 
present are very lofty, more large, their cells 
greater, their churches more adorned, and their 
other regular places more comporting with the 
modern way of building. They have very fair 
convents at Venice, Florence, Pisa r and Milaiio* 
When I passed through the Dutchy of Burgundy 
in France, I saw at Dijon the fine pile of building 
these Fathers caused to be raised for their sick, 
which was not the least inferior to the fair pa- 
laces of the presidents and counsellors of parlia- 
ment of that city. And when I passed through 
Germany, in my way to England r I saw upon 
the Rhine, about half a day*s journey above 
Cob lent z, a stately building, which I took for 
one of the palaces of the Elector of Treves,. 
but was indeed a convent of Capuchins, which his 
Electoral Highness caused to be built for them. 
Before the foundations of it were laid, he de- 
manded of them a model of their convents, to 
have it built by ; but the Fathers answered him, 
That iJ J SL Francis were to give the plan, it would 
be very plain and scanty : but that forasmuch 
as his Electoral Highness had the goodness to 
concern himself therewith, it could not well be 
blamed, if the building did in some degree suit 
with his greatness* 

The conclusion of all is this, Sir, that >vhat- 

ever 



OF HOSPITALS, $c. Ill 

ever these men may pretend to, as long as they 
shall make the Christian perfection to consist in 
certain phantastic, stoical, and extraordinary ways 
of living, a short time's experience will make it 
appear, they have deceived themselves ; all their 
fine designs will vanish in their own view. And 
as the principles on which they build are false,they 
will always find themselves reduced to the im- 
possibility of practising what they have vowed ; 
and will be forced at last to acknowledge, that 
the great axioms of Christian morality, which are 
of an infallible truth, and to which only we ought 
to tie ourselves; are to avoid evil, and to do good / 
to love God with all our heart, and our neigh- 
bour as ourselves. I conclude with these excel- 
lent words, and am with all my heart, 

Sir, your, $c 



LETTER IV. 

OF A JOURNEY TO LORETTO, SfC. 



SIR, 

Having promised in my last Letter to give 
an account of my journey to Loretto, I doubt not 
but your curiosity (to be informed about that 
place of devotion, which makes so great a noise 
in the world) will incline you to wish for the per- 
formance of my promise. To the end therefore, 
that I may acquit myself thereof, I shall begin 
where my last Letter left me. After the view 
I had taken of Mount Alverne, I parted with my 
company, who went no further, and all alone 

came 



118 THE FOURTH LETTER, 

came down the other side of the Apennine : and 
taking- my way through the towns of Fossomhrone 
and Urbane, I came to Fan, which is a pretty 
city, situate on the Adriatic Sea. Whilst I was 
here, going abroad in the morning- to look out 
for some convenience to go to Loretto, I saw a 
great company of persons very comically mounted 
and dressed, coming into town. They were Pil- 
grims that came from Bononia, being about 
threescore in number, and all of them mounted 
on asses, which is a very easy and commodious 
way of travelling, and more in request in the 
marquisate of Ancone, than the use of horses. 
The first place where we met with this conveni- 
ence of travelling, is at Imola, half a day's jour- 
ney from Bononia. Formerly travellers were wont 
to hire their asses at Bononia ; but forasmuch as 
some wits took occasion from hence to use an 
allusion, which did not over-please the scholars 
and doctors of the university of that city ; for it 
was a common saying, We ivill go to Loretto, 
and take an ass at Bononia, the magistrates for 
their sakes abolished that custom; so that now 
these beasts must be hired at Imola, and for the 
value of about a shilling, a man may travel six 
miles, which is the stage those asses are wont to 
perform. They are furnished with little saddles 
and stirrups, in the manner as horses ; but there 
is no need either of a whip or spurs, for as soon 
as one is got upon their backs, they run conti- 
nually with all their might until they be come 
to their journey's end; where being arrived, it 
is impossible by all the strokes that can be given 
them, to make them advance one step further; but 
one is forced to leave them there, and take others. 
Thus these asses are changed at every six miles 
end, till one comes to the mountains of Ancona, 
which is not very far from Loretto. 

But to return to our Pilgrims, and to give you 

a further 



OF LORETTO, cj c. 119 

a further description of them ; they were all of 
them accoutred in their pilgrimage habits, Which 
consisted of a large linen vest, of an ash-grey 
colour, reaching to the middle of the leg, with 
very wide sleeves, coming down to the wrist ; on 
the backside of these vests, at the collar, they 
have a kind of a large cowl, which they put over 
their heads, and being pulled down, reacheth to 
the pit of the stomach, so that their faces are 
wholly covered with them. And to the ei d, that 
in this posture they might have their free sight 
and breathing, these cowls have openings in 
them, answering^ to the eyes and mouths, like 
masks. They never draw these cowls over their 
heads, but when they come to places where they 
have no mind to be known ; for otherwise, they 
let them hang backwards upon their shoulders. 
They gird this vest about them with a girdle, 
and somewhat above the girdle upon their breasts, 
they have a scutcheon, representing the arms of 
their society, confriery, or company, which they 
call in Italian, Scttola* There be scarcely any 
Italians that are not of one or other of these so- 
cieties. These Pilgrims moreover have a large 
row of pater-noster beads hanging at their gir- 
dles, and a pilgrim-staff in their hands, which is 
the chief mark of their pilgrimaging'. These 
staves are about an half-pike's length, with knots 
or protuberances at the top and middle of them. 
They carry them to church, to get them blest by 
their curates, before their setting forth, which 
ceremony is performed with many prayers, and 
the assistance of holy-water. As soon as they 
have received them, it is not lawful for them to 
stay any longer than three days at the place of 
their residence, and cannot be admitted to the 
communion till they have performed their pil- 
grimage, except they be pleased to change the 
vow they have made into a pecuniary mulct ; for 

in 



120 THE FOURTH LETTER, 

in that case they are very readily discharged by 
the priest. The Pilgrims whieh I saw, upon their 
arrival at Fane, were all of them dressed in vests 
of the same colour, and had already run one stage 
on their asses. Their vests were all new, and of 
very line linen ; and forasmuch as in all appear^ 
ance, they were not moved to put on that garb 
from a penitent spirit, they had taken care to 
tuck them up high enough in several places, to 
make their fine clothes of gold and silk they had 
under them to be seen ; which made me also be- 
lieve, that probably they must be persons of qua- 
lity. Their girdles were of silk of the same col- 
our, with their vests, and extremely well wrought. 
Upon my enquiry, who they were? it was told 
me, they were the company or society of our Lady 
of Life of Bononia, which is the name of a very 
richly endowed hospital, for the relief of poor sick 
people, and where the priests have erected a con- 
gregation or society of noble persons, who have 
their daily masses and prayers there. Upon their 
entering into this society, they oblige themselves 
to assist the poor of that place, with their estates 
and best endeavours. xhe greatest part of the 
gentlemen of Bononia are of this society ; they 
go every year by way of procession to Loretto, 
towards the end of autumn, when vintage is pasr, 
which is likewise observed by most other compa- 
nies. As soon as they were come near to the 
great church, the priests came out to meet them, 
with the cross and banner, by way of reception, 
and bidding them welcome, made a short speech 
to them ; to which the prior of ike company, be- 
ing a Bononian earl, returned an( answer in few 
words. After this they entered into the church, 
where they made some short prayers, and then 
dispersed themselves throughout the best inns of 
the city, whither orders had been sent over night, 
to provide a good dinner* It was about ten of 



OF LORETTO, $t»; 121 

the clock in the morning* when these Pilgrims 
arrived, and near half an hour after, they were 
followed by about some twenty caleches, full of 
ladies. These were she-pilgrims, who had left 
Bononia upon the same design : and who were 
all of them, either kinswomen or mistresses of 
the foresaid pilgrim-gentlemen. They yere all of 
the Til most sumptuously attired, and with an 
air of wantonness and gaiety, that very ill be- 
came persons who went a pilgrimaging* out of 
devotion. They had little pilgrim-staves, fasten- 
ed to the body of their gowns; some of them 
were of gold, others of ivory, all beset with cost- 
\y pearls and diamonds ; some had them made up 
of orange flowers, or of some artificial flowers 
which are in so great esteem at Bononia, and 
which make the greatest part of traffic of the 
nuns, of that city. Others again had them all 
wrought of needle-work, to that height of curio- 
sity, that one of them might probably have been 
the work of many years ; and lastly, others had 
them of other precious and costly matter. The 
Pilgrims had no sooner taken possession of their 
inns, and given order to have all things in readi- 
ness, but they went forth to meet their ladies : 
and having bid them welcome, they conducted 
them with a great deal of honour and ceremony 
into the apartment prepared for them. My curi- 
osity to observe these proceedings, prompted me 
to return to my inn ; where I had already taken 
notice of the great preparations that were making 
for them : and finding that the gentlemen wanted 
a chamber more to accommodate them, I offered 
them mine; and in recoinpence thereof, they very 
, civilly entreated me to dine with them. The table 
was covered with many dishes, and all dinner- 
time their discourse was nothing but a continual 
raillery upon their ladies pilgrim-staves : it was 
not any hinting or pinching raillery, but such as 

M consisted 



122 THE FOURTH LETTER, 

consisted only of some pat allusions, full of wit, 
and contained ambiguous words, which these Ita- 
lians knew to be for the tooth of their ladies. As 
soon as dinner was done, every one of them put 
themselves in order to prosecute their journey. 
The Pilgrims mounted on their asses, and the la- 
dies into their caleches. As for my part, I joined 
myself with a very honest man, born at Parma, 
who did not go on pilgrimage, but travelled out 
of curiosity. We followed this troop of Pil- 
grims at a small distance, being* mounted in the 
same manner as they, though we could not join 
ourselves in company with them, because we had 
no pilgrim's habits. I demanded of the Italian, 
why those gentlemen, who were all persons of 
quality, and who probably had their coach and 
horses at Bononia, did make use of these asses in 
their journey ? He told me, that some made use 
of them out of a frolic, and to make themselves 
mirth on the road; others, by way of humility, 
and to obtain more merit; and moreover, that 
these asses by carrying so many devout persons to. 
Loretto, had by that means obtained a very par- 
ticular kind of blessing, which was, that never 
any mischance happened to those that rid on 
them ; for if by chance any did fall from them, or 
were cast by them into any slough, they always 
escaped very happily, without receiving any hurt. 
By this discourse, 1 began to perceive, that this 
honest ocntleman believed these asses also to be 
i Miraculous. He told me, that some Afgier pirates 
having lately made a descent in the marquisate of 
Ancom, could not with all their endeavours over- ; 
rake a company of travellers that were mounted 
on these holy asses, - though they pursued them 
very close, and that having fired very thick at 
them; they neither killed nor wounded any one 
of the company. As we rode on, thus discours- 1 
in<r together, we ever anon cast an eye towards 

our I 



OF LORETTO, f& 123 

our pilgrims that were before us, and found, they 
made it their only business on the road, to di- 
vert the ladies that rode in the caleches : some of 
them crossing the way before them, strove to put 
themselves into comical and ridiculous postures, 
to make them laugh ; others fell from their asses 
on purpose ; and in a word, as the Italians have a 
very pleasant and ready wit, their behaviour all 
along the road, was nothing but mirth and come- 
dies. The ladies, without doubt, were not want- 
ing to bestow a thousand blessings on the day 
and moment, wherein they were so happy to make 
a vow to go to Loreito, forasmuch as probably 
they had never in all their lives been better di- 
verted. Every body knows the humour of the 
Italians, that no sooner have they married a wife, 
but they make her a slave. However, their jea- 
lousy hath never yet been able to hinder them 
from going to the church on Sundays and holi- 
days, or to the places of pilgrimage, when they 
have made a vow to that purpose. The church of 
Rome have declared it a mortal sin, not to go to 
mass on those days, or not to accomplish the pil- 
grimage one has vowed ; and hath deprived hus- 
bands of the power to hinder their wives from 
performing their necessary duties. If any hus- 
band should go about to oppose his wife in these 
particulars, the inquisition would take notice of it, 
and proceed against him, as against a person 
who does not approve of going to mass or pil- 
grimages, and consequently is an heretic. The 
ladies, you may assure yourself, are not wanting 
to make good use of this their privilege ; or to 
have recourse whenever they think fit, to this 
last plank of their ship-wreck liberty; Ultima 
navfraacE lihertatis tabula. Scarcely ever shall 
you see a lady going to these kind of devotions, 
but she has some very devout lover following her ; 
and one might judge with half an eye, from the 



124 THE FOURTH LETTER? 

air of these he and she pilgrims, I am now upon, 
what was the principal motive that swayed them 
to undertake the journey. About four of the 
clock in the afternoon, they stopped at a village 
to refresh themselves ; which done, the gentle- 
men rode on before to the next town, to compli- 
ment the next church before the ladies coming 
as they had done iu the morning at Fane. After 
which they retired with their ladies to the best 
inns of the town, where they were not wanting 
to make good cheer, and divert themselves ; and 
in the foresaid manner continued the rest of their 
journey, till they came to Loretto. I will be 
judged by you, Sir, whether this be not a very 
devout way of pilgrimaging, sufficient to con- 
found and abash the Protestants, who reject them, 
and content themselves to call upon their father 
that is in heaven, without putting themselves to 
the trouble of going to seek him either at Rome or 
Loretto. 

We met with, besides these Pilgrims already 
mentioned, whom we followed very close, several 
other bands of them, consisting' of merchants and 
tradesmen, some of them going to Loretto, and 
others returning thence, all of them making- them- 
selves sport with their pilgrim-staves, and extra- 
vagant habits upon the road ; and in all the inns 
they came to, treating themselves with the best 
that could be had. I have since understood that 
all tradesmen in Italy do each of them keep a 
saving-box, into which they put what money they 
can spare during the whole year, in order to their 
going in pilgrimage, either to Loretto, or to S. 
Anthony of Padua, or to some other place, at a 
further or nearer distance, according as they guess 
that the money they have gathered will hold out, 
to defray their charges going and coming, and 
every where making much of themselves. And to 
speak the truth, there is nothing- more agreeable 



OF LORETTO, $c 125 

in Italy, than these kind of journies in the begin- 
ning' of the spring, or towards the end of autumn, 
after the great heat is past ; especially when one is 
in good company, where there is never wanting' some 
or other, that hath the gift of making others 
laugh. The Italian females, especially, make use 
of a thousand intrigues and inventions, to oblige 
their parents or their husbands, to let them go on 
pilgrimaging: there is no vow they make more 
readily. Above all things, they make great use of 
the authority of their confessors, to acquaint 
them, that it is the will of God, that they should 
go thither according to their vow. In the mean 
time, the whole journey is spent in fooleries, as 
I have now hinted ; and the merry adventures 
they meet with in them, furnish them all the 
winter at the fire-sides, with pleasant stories to 
divert the company. 

Thus I have given you some account of the Ita- 
lian he and she pilgrims, according' to my pro- 
mise, which, joined with those that frequent the 
hospitals, whose description you have seen in my 
last Letter, comprehends the whole set of pil- 
grims, from the richest to the poorest. It is to 
no purpose here for the Papists to tell us, that 
these are only particular instances, which cannot 
be of any force against the foundation of their 
doctrine; for this holiness, of Pilgrims in general, 
is no more to be met with, than an universal apar- 
te rei. A man indeed may imagine to himself an 
universal human nature, yet will he never be able 
to find human nature, but in particulars, or in- 
dividuals. Besides, if pilgrimages were endued 
with efficacy, to make men holy, without doubt 
.we should find many pilgrims so qualified ; and 
the acknowledged truth of the old proverb would 
be overthrown which saith, That never did a good 
horse, or wicked man, become better by going to 
Rome. If S. Jerome, S. Paula, and many others 

M 3 went 



126 THE FOURTH LETTER, 
went to visit the Holy Places of Palastine, yet it 
was not this that sanctified them, or made them 
saints ; and, without doubt, they might have done 
as well to have said at home. I speak not this, 
as if I had a mind to blame them for so doing, 
no more than I would reprove an hQnest man, 
who out of curiosity, (yet so as not to neglect his 
business, and without injuring 1 any one) should 
take a journey to Constantinople, or to Rome. It 
is even natural for men to have some respect and 
veneration for great travellers, and I cannot but 
own it, to be a worthy curiosity to go to Jerusa- 
lem, and see all the holy places where Jesus 
Christ has wrought our redemption ; but with re- 
ference to our eternal salvation, I look upon it 
as a very profitable thing, and I shall never 
believe that any one is the greater saint for hav- 
ing been there : Jesus Christ has not fixed our 
salvation to any particular places of the world, 
more than to others ; and will never suffer, that 
those novel additions men have been so bold as 
to join to the gospel, to accomplish their corrupt 
ends, should serve as efficacious means for their 
sanctification. I have conversed with a vast num- 
ber of persons that have gone a pilgrimaging ; 
but never could discern any the least amendment 
in their lives; but on the contrary, I have seen 
many who have seemed to me, to be much worse 
than they M ere before. They counselled me in 
Italy, to do as a certain Genonese did, who was 
wont frequently to ask his butcher, when he would 
go to Loretto? the butcher wondering' at this his oft 
repeated question, demanded of him one day, what 
might be the reason, why he so often asked him 
the same question ; Because (said the Genon- 
ese ) I have a long time observed, that upon your 
return from your pilgrimage, you never give me 
my full weight ; wA for this reason* I am re- 
solved, at your next return, not to make use of 

i!9U 



OF LORETTO, cj c m 

you for Jive or six months. And indeed, he had 
reason to make use of this caution ; for commonly 
in these journies they spend at a most extrava- 
gant rate ; and afterwards, to reimburse them- 
selves, they make no scruple, to make use of 
thiefish and indirect means. Moreover, as I have 
already intimated in my third Letter, there be 
very few that undertake these kind of .journies* 
from a true spirit of devotion ; but either out of 
curiosity, or for their recreation ; or other such 
like reasons. 

But, forasmuch as I do not pretend to judge of 
the inward intention of any one by any thing th&t 
is outward, I will at present be so favourable as to 
suppose, that all these pilyitims go to their several 
places with highest sentiments of devotion; but 
yet, for all this, I say, th&y are not excuseable 
before God, notwithstanding their good intention y 
though we may pity them for being: so foully mis- 
taken, as to give the worship which is due to 
God alone, to a creature. O cpiam bona volunt ci- 
te miseri sunt ! This is all the favour we can do 
them : for we can by no means justify those ado- 
rations they render to the Blessed Virgin and 
saints; yea, to the houses where they have lived, 
and the instruments of their martyrdom. 

But forasmuch as this point relates to divinity 
and my design is not to write to you as a divine, 
but only as a traveller, I shall leave it at present^ 
and continue my discourse about my journey to 
Loretto. I arrived there towards the end of Oc- 
tober. This town is situate in the midst of a very 
fertile and pleasant plain, two or three miles from 
the Adriatic sea. In former times, there were no 
buildings here, besides the chapel ; but in process 
of time, they built many houses about ; and the 
Popes, to whom all this country belongs, have 
ordered a wall with bastions to be built round it : 
so that at present it is a considerable fortress to 

secure 



128 THE FOURTH LETTER, 

secure the ecclesiastical state on that side, and 
more particularly against the landing of Turks 
and other corsairs, who formerly did use very 
frequently to come and ravage that part of the 
country. This chapel is by the Italians called 
la santa casAj that is to say, The Holy House. 
The Roman Catholics believe this to be the very 
same house, wherein Jesus Christ dwelt at Naza- 
reth, with the Blessed Virgin his mother, and his 
reputed father S. Joseph, for the space of thirty 
years, until the time that he began to preach his 
holy doctrine, and to confirm it by his divine vir- 
tue and miracles. They pretend it was transport- 
ed by angels from Nazareth? where it stood at 
first, -to the place where it is. at present. The his- 
tory they give us of it runs thus : the Saracens 
having made themselves masters of Palesti?ia, and 
the holy places, the Blessed Virgin unwilling to 
leave so great a treasure, (as was the house where- 
in she had dwelt with her son Jesus Christ upon 
the earth,) in the hands of infidels, commanded 
the angels to transport it into the Christian terri- 
tories : the angels in obedience to her command, 
took it up, foundations and all, and carried it by 
night to Dalmatia ; but afterwards taking notice 
of their mistake, and perceiving that the people 
there, were nothing nigh so good as the Italians, 
they took it up again, and another night carried 
it near to the city Recanati in Italy, placing it in 
a field that belonged to two brothers ; where it 
continued many years, until the brothers began 
to quarrel about the dividing the alms that were 
given there ; wherefore »the Virgin, to punish 
them, commands the angels to take it up a 
third time, and carry it to the field of a poor 
widow-woman called Loretto, who was a very de- 
vout worshipper of her. This good woman rising 
in the morning, and finding a little house, where 
there was not the least sign of the night before, 

was 



OF LORETTO, $c. UB 

was as much surprised as the brothers were 10 see 
it (led from their field. In this surprize, she writes 
to the Pope what had happened, who already was 
by revelation made acquainted with the whole 
matter, and immediately bestowed vast indulgences 
upon all those who should go to pay their bounden 
duty to that holy house. The succeeding* Popes 
have since confirmed all this, and have granted 
an infinite number other pardons; this place, in 
process of time, by great good luck for them, is 
become an inexhaustible fountain of riches, and 
still to this day brings them in prodigious sums 
of money every year. What think you, is not this 
a very pleasant story, and is not the bare relation 
sufficient to render it contemptible? The good 
angels that carried this holy house the first time 
into Dalmalia, sure w ere very stupid, and did not 
mind what they did. Moreover, if the Blessed 
Virgin was pleased to take it away from the two 
brothers of Recanati, because they were at vari- 
ance about it; I wonder how she had the patience 
to leave it at present, amongst a company of ras- 
cals and robbers, that have nested themselves 
there, and who for the most part of them are all 
sellers of patcr-noster beads and medals; for all 
that ever were at Loretto know, and are warned 
before they enter the town, that in case they de- 
sire to perform their devotions there without hav- 
ing their purses picked, they must hold their beads 
in one hand, and their purse in the other. I 
proceed now to the description of this chapel, or 
the Santa Casa. The whole building is of brick, 
about twenty-five foot long, the length not being 
proportionable to the bi'eadth of it : the w ood 
with which it was cieled, being consumed and 
rotten by age, it has since been vaulted with 
brick. It hath two windows, and two doors on the 
two sides of it, and another window beneath, by 
which they say the angel Gabriel entered, to an 

nimciate 



130 THE FOURTH LETTER, 

liunciate to the Blessed Virgin the mystery of the 
incarnation. They have erected an altar, in the 
very place where they say the- Virgin was upon 
her knees, when the angel entered ; and upon 
the altar is an image of the Virgin, of wood, 
about four foot and an half high, which is the 
miraculous statue on which they bestow their 
adorations. She has changes of clothes for all 
work-days, and for all holy days and Sundays : 
she has them of all sorts of colours, and mourn- 
ing clothes for the passion week. They shift' or 
change her clothes with abundance of ceremonies. 
I was there one Saturday in the evening, when 
the priests undressed her; they took away from 
her the suit of purple she had on, in order to 
dress her in a green gown, which they perform- 
ed in the following manner : they first of all took 
off her veil, then her great robe or mantle roy- 
al ; afterwards her gown and her upper and un- 
der petticoats, and last of all, with a great deal 
of reverence, they pulled of her smock, to put 
her on a clean one. I leave you, Sir, to guess 
what thoughts this may probably impress on the 
imagination, as well of those who perform the 
ceremony, as those who are the assistants and 
spectators. True it is, that the statue is not made 
naked ; the workman it seems that wrought it, 
having been more modest than so, and represent- 
ed her as clothed : but this action of clothing and 
unclothing the figure of a woman, is a thing thai 
that €*fFends the minds of those that are never so 
little chaste or modest. I acknowledge, indeed, 
that they perform this ceremony with a great deal 
of outward respect, if it may not more properly 
be called idolatry; for they kiss every part of the 
apparel they take off' from her, bending their 
knees to the ground before the statue, and ador- 
ing it. The people thai are present upon their 
knees all the time the ceremony is performing, 

beat 



OF LORETTO, §c 131 

beat their breasts, and nothing is heard through- 
out the chapel, but sighings and groans, with in- 
terrupted words and ejaculations ; Holy Virgin 
of Loretto, help me ! Mother of God hear me ! 
and other such like. As soon as the image is 
quite naked or undressed, these sighs and groans 
are doubled, and decrease again by degrees as 
they dress it. I cannot imagine what should be 
the cause of this change of their tone, except it 
should be this, that when the statue is quite un- 
dressed, it more strongly affects their imagina- 
tion, and makes them believe they see the very 
Virgin in person ; and that this therefore is the 
nick of time, for them to pray with the greatest 
fervour of devotion. They dressed her in a green 
suit of apparel, extremely rich, being a flower- 
work upon aground of gold. The veil they put 
upon her head was yet more costly ; for besides, 
that it was of the same cloth of gold, it was all 
powdered with great fine pearls : after this, they 
put upon her head, a crown of gold, thick beset 
with precious stones of an inestimable price : next 
they put on her neck-jewel, her pendant and her 
bracelets of diamonds, and many great chains 
of gold about her neck, to which were fastened 
abundance of hearts and medals of gold, which 
are the presents that queens and Catholic prin- 
cesses have bestowed on the image out of devo- 
tion, in testimony that they were resolved to 
be its staves. The whole adorning' and furni- 
ture of the altar was equally sumptuous and mag- 
nificent, nothing being to be seen but great pots 
or vessels, basins, lamps, and candlesticks, all of 
gold and silver, and beset with precious stones, 
all which, by the light of a vast quantity of wax- 
candles, that burn there day and night, afforded 
a lustre whose beauty ravished the soul through 
the eyes. It is no wonder to me that many do 
aver themselves to be sensible of an extraordinary 

devotion 



181 



THE FOURTH LETTER* 



devotion in this place; for besides that one can- 
not enter there without thanking God, because 
one's imagination is already forestalled with the 
thought, that it is the chamber where the eternal 
word became incarnate ; it is certain, that it is 
the property of all bright and lustrous creatures? 
to raise our hearts to the Creator, more than dark 
and common ones use to do; and especially when 
their splendour is seconded with novelty. When 
we lift up our eyes to the firmament in a clear 
night when the sky is full of stars, this sight power- 
fully raises our souls to God, and makes us say, 
Qtram avgv.sta est domus dei I How glorious is the 
House of God! In like manner those persons, who 
are not \v^nt to see so many lights, so much 
g(fW, silver and precious stones which mutually 
exalt each others glory, as soon as they enter 
this chapel of Loretto* where they meet with 
all these things together, cannot but naturally be 
moved with thoughts of devotion. Naturalists ob- 
serve that precious stones are for the most part 
extremely friendly and sympathising with the 
heart of man, and that they recreate and make it 
light and merry by a secret sympathy they have 
with the vital spirits; now there being an almost 
infinite n umber of all sorts of these precious stones 
in this chapel, who can doubt but that they must 
make a corresponding great impression on the 
hearts of the ravished spectators ? This natural 
effect being by some simple and ignorant people 
supposed to be a particular grace of God appro- 
priated to that place, makes them take it for no 
less than a continual miracle: but the extrava- 
gancies continually committed here, are a suffici- 
ent argument against this weak and ungrounded 
opinion. They kiss the walls all round about the 
chape ] , they lick the bricks with their tongues, 
they rub their beads against them, they take 
thread, and having compassed the chapel with it, 

as 



OF LORETTO, £e. . 133 

a§ if they pretended to take the measure or com- 
pass of it, they afterwards make a girdle of it, 
which they say is very efficacious against witch- 
craft, and all manner of ills. The priests, in the 
mean time, are not unmindful of their gain ; they 
have persons placed every where in the chapel 
and great church, who press the people to give 
aims, and to have masses said for them to our 
Lady, They pay a crown a piece for every mass, 
and the priests promise to say them all at our La- 
dy's altar, that is in the chapel. It is certain, that 
the priests receive money for the saying- of above 
50000 masses every year ; and yet it is as sure 
that it is impossible for them to say above 10000 
in a year at that altar ; so that all the rest who 
have given their money for that purpose, must 
needs be frustrated of their intentions, and chosed 
of their money* Those that are rich and w ealthy, 
bestow great presents upon the wooden statue of 
the Virgin that is in the chapel, which w ithout any 
addition or modification, they call The Holy Vir- 
gin o/'Loretto: they present her with necklaces, 
and bracelets, of candlesticks, lamps embost, pic- 
tures of gold and silver of a prodigious weight, 
and bigness. Many present her with rings, and 
most precious jewels, as a token of their espous- 
ing of her. She hath above fifty gowns, all of 
them of an inestimable price, insomuch as she is 
at this day, the richest puppet that is in the uni- 
verse, and the piece of wood the most sumptuous- 
ly dressed that is to be found in the whole world. 
It is to this image that those famous litanies, 
which are so much in vogue with the Church of 
Rome, have been addressed, which are commonly 
called The Litanies o f the Virgin, or, the Litanies 
of our lady of Loretto, wherein she is termed 
the Queen of Angels ; Mother of Divine Grace; 
the Gate of Heaven; the Help of Christians ; the 
Refvge o f Sinners, §-c. However, neither all these 



184 THE FOURTH LETTER, 

costly ornaments, or glorious titles have been 
powerful enough to divert the worms from excit- 
ing their activity upon this so highly adorned and 
adored statue ; for 1 observed as they were chang- 
ing its clothes, that the wood was rotten and full 
of worm-holes. Thus we see that this piece of 
wood, which is supposed to hear the prayers of 
so many idolaters, carries its own condemnation 
w ith it, in that it is not able to rescue itself from 
corruption. The Popes, who draw more gold and 
silver from this place, than from any other in the 
world, have accordingly favoured it with the 
greatest stock of indulgences. They have granted 
to this chapel all the privileges appertaining to 
their S. Peter of Rome. The grand penitentiaries 
and confessors, which £re all Jesuits, do here ab- 
solve all sorts of cases, even of those the Popes 
have reserved for themselves. For seeing it is a 
place in the Pope's own territories, it is very in- 
different to them, whether they be absolved there 
or at Rome, because their profit is the same ; but 
I question not, should the angels think fit once 
more to take the pains to transport this chapel 
into the estate of some strange prince, they would 
soon revoke and cancel all their pardons, foras- 
much as then the case would be altered. They 
are very careful to preserve this chapel whole 
and entire; to this end they have darted all the 
thunderbolts of the Vatican, against those who 
.shall undertake to loosen the least stone of it, or 
so much as to sft'ape the walls; it is lawful to 
lick them, but not to bite the least particle off 
from them. The reason of this is because ac- 
cording to the principles of Rome, a part is 
taken for the whole: thus,, if they have but a 
finger, or some other small part of a saint's body, 
it is the same thing' as if they had all entire ; 
whence it follows, that if any one could get but a 
little piece of brick of the Santa Casa, he might 



OF LORETTO, &c 135 

go and build a chapel in a strange country, and 
having enclosed the bit of brick, make the place 
as considerable as this of Loretto, and by this 
means spare so many people the labour of go- 
ing so far a pilgrimage. By this you may con- 
ceive how great a damage this would be to the 
Popes, and how much it is their interest to affix, 
as they do in all places within and without the 
chapel, and the great church which compasseth 
it about, the anathemas and excommunications 
they have pronounced against those, who should 
be so unadvised as to take away the least particle 
thereof. However, being mistrustful of the effi- 
cacy of their thunderbolts in this case, and not 
believing them sufficient to secure this their vast 
treasure, they have had recourse to subtil ty and 
cunning, and have falsely published that God 
hath punished many persons with sudden death^ 
who had been so bold to take away some of the 
bricks thereof, that others have been deprived 
of motion, until they had vowed to restore what 
they had so sacrilegiously stolen; and lastly, that, 
angels had come and snatched the bricks out of 
the hands of those that had stolen them, in order 
to fix them where they were before. Amongst the 
rest, they shewed us two bricks, which are fastened 
to one of the walls of the chapel, with two pieces 
of iron, to distinguish them from the rest ; the 
one of which a Polish gentleman had carried away 
with the design of having a like chapel to that of 
Loretto, built in his country. They tell us, that 
by an infinite force he was stopped in his jour- 
ney, and deprived of all motion, and by this 
means was forced to send back the brick he rob- 
bed, to Loretto, which he had no sooner done, but 
his immobility being taken away, he was in a con- 
dition to continue his journey. The other was 
taken by a Spanish Lord, with the same intent, 
who being on his journey homeward, the angel 

N2 pursued 



136 THE FOURTH LETTER, 

pursued him, and after having banged him hand- 
somely, took away the brick from him, and carried 
it to Loretto. 

These miracles (and many others of the same 
stamp, that is to say, every whit as ridiculous) are 
printed and affixed in several places of the church, 
that strangers may read them, and beware. For 
my part, Sir, I can assure you, that all these are 
no better than great staring lies, forged and in- 
vented by the Popes, whereby they craftily en- 
deavour to persuade their Roman Catholics, that 
they have the Santa Cam, whole and entire, and 
that there is not the least scrap of it in any other 
part of the habitable world, That which makes 
me assert this with so much confidence, is, that I 
myself, who write to you, did loosen a consider- 
able piece of this wall of Loretto, and carried it 
away with me, without being banged by the an- 
gels, or made immoveable by some invisible power, 
and if the guardians of the chapel have not taken 
care to stop up the hole again, I am sure it may 
be there seen still to this day. 

They begin to say their masses every day at the 
Virgin's Altar, by two of the clock in the morning, 
and 1 repaired thither about three, and finding but 
very few persons in the chapel, I kept in the en- 
try, where I could not be taken notice of by any, 
the people being all before me, and none on ei- 
ther side of me, or behind me ; at which time, 
with an iron instrument \ had, I broke off a piece 
of the wall, and carried i\ away with me ; since 
which I have travelled throughout all Italy, I 
have been in France and Germany, neither hath 
any the least ill accident befallen me ; until at 
last, being weary of parrying this^tpne so long in 
my pocket, and looking upon it as an unprofitable 
burthen, I cast it away into the fields by way of 
contempt, and out of a kind of indignation, in that 
it had received such adorations as are due to God 

alone, 



OF LORETTO, $c. 137 

alone, I must own, that about two days journey 
from Loretio, near Tolenii, in my way to Rome, 
there happened to fall a very great rain for two 
days together, whereby the brooks swelled to that 
degree, that they drowned a great part of the 
country ; and passing over an old bridge, one 
of the arches shaken with the tread of my horse, 
fell down with an horrid noise into the water at 
two steps from me, upon which, swiftly tofriittlg 
my horse, I got over the other half of the bridge 
behind me, as fast as 1 could, and at the same 
moment the brick I had taken at Loretto, came 
to my mind. I deliberated with myself, whether 
I ought to go back and return it to the place 
again ; but taking reason, rather than the pre- 
sent accident, to be my counsellor, I made these 
following reflections : 

First I considered, that if indeed God were so 
jealous of preserving that chapel whole and entire 
in every part of it, he would never have suffered 
the ceiling thereof, which was a considerable part 
thereof, to rot and fall down ; to repair which 
defect, (as I hinted before) they had arched it 
over. In the second place, I considered with 
myself, that the manger at Bethlehem, and the 
Holy Sepulchre, were not inferior in dignity to 
this little house of Nazareth, and that neverthe- 
less God had been pleased to leave them in the 
hands of infidels, and that consequently the story 
told concerning the transportation of the Santa 
Casa, and the motives of it, could be no better 
than a fable. And lastly, as I myself had been 
eye witness of so many cheats and lies, which 
the Romish Priests invent to increase their gains, 
this served for a convincing argument to me, 
not to give the least credit to all these pre- 
tended miracles, which are only invented either 
to preserve the chapel of Loretto, in the Pope's 
territories, or at least, to dispose the minds of the 

N 3 people, 



138 THE FOURTH LETTER, 

people, that in case upon occasion of war, any 
strange prince should cause the same to be car- 
ried to his own country, they might, notwith- 
standing, believe that the angels had brought it 
back again to its former place ; and, consequent- 
ly, might boldly deny, that this supposed prince 
had the true Santa Casa. 

All this made me conclude, there was nothing 
extraordinary in the fall of this bridge, as hap- 
pening by reason of the age and weakness of 
the bridge, or because the violent torrent of the 
waters had undermined its foundation. Being 
thus satisfied, I went to seek another place for to 
pass the water, and so continued my voyage^ 
thanks be to God, very happily. Had I gone 
back to restore the stone, the priests to be sure 
would not have been wanting to cry out, a mira- 
cle, a miracle ! and to publish the same every 
where, a picture would presently have been 
drawn of this accident, which they would have 
added to the great number of that kind, which 
are fastened to the walls of the churchy and the 
piece of brick would have been distinguished with 
a piece of iron, to be taken notice of by pilgrims 
and strangers, as an evidence of the said miracle ; 
whereas experience and time have since fully 
convinced me, that God never concerned himself 
in the case, and that the fall of the bridge was 
merely casual. Before I take my leave of Loret- 
to, I will tell you in general, that the treasure 
preserved there is altogether inestimable. A 
Pope being informed that some had acquainted 
the Turks thereof and that they were projecting 
to make a descent there, caused the town to be 
fortified with strong walls and bastions, where he 

Slanted abundance of great guns. He appre- 
ended, it seems, that the Angels would not be 
so zealous to preserve the treasure that is there 
kept, as they had been to secure the bricks of the 

Santa 



OF LORETTO, $c. im 

Santa Casa ; and to speak the truth, the ease is 
very different ; for it is an easy matter to restore 
the bricks, where any are wanting, and then de- 
clare that the Angels have returned them to their 
places ; but should the Turks come once to take 
away the precious stones of that inestimable trea- 
sury, it is to be feared they would be to seek for a 
miracle to restore them. The Jesuits, who are very 
vigilant of getting into possession of the best 
and most advantageous posts, have obtained all 
the confessor's places of this churchy and at cer- 
tain hours of the day, they repair thither for to 
hear confessions in all sorts of languages* They 
have a very peculiar and wonderful dexterous- 
ness to squeeze money from strangers ; they beg 
some of all those that come to confess to them, on 
pretence of assisting poor pilgrims therewith ; 
but indeed, keep all they get for themselves, 
except only some few pence they give them 
now and then, making use to this purpose of 
their mental restriction, as a Jesuit (who had 
quitted their society) told me : for seeing they 
have made a vow of personal poverty, that is, dt 
never possessing any thing in particular, but all i i 
common, they pretend themselves to be the firs' 
and chiefest poor, and Pilgrims too, forasmuch as 
every man is a pilgrim upon earth. Thus they 
bestow the alms given them upon themselves, and 
believe, that by this means,, they abundantly an- 
swer the intention of those who have trusted them 
with the distribution of them. A poor priest of 
Savoy, who was reduced to a very pitiful con- 
dition, coming to me to beg* an alms, I sent him 
to the Jesuit, who I knew had that morning re- 
ceived threescore crowns of a rich man, with 
whom I had spoken of myself. The Jesuit told 
him, he was very sorry he w^as not in a condi- 
tion to assist him, for that of a long time he had 
not been entrusted with any charities ; and so 

sent 



140 THE FOURTH LETTER, 

sent him away without giving him any thing* 
Which way soever a man turns himself in this 
holy city of Loretto, he meets with persons that 
beg money of him. The priests ask it, to say 
masses for you ; the Jesuits, to give alms to the 
poor, as I have told you : an infinite number of 
box-carriers, that gather in money for the use of 
the chapel, are continually dunning you as well 
in the streets as in the church, to put something 
into them. The shop-keepers of the town, who 
are all of them sellers of bead-rows and medals, 
deafen your ears on every side, to come and buy 
their trumperies, A vast number of vagabonds, 
in the habit of pilgrims, flock about you to beg 
the Passada, and cut your purse if they can* 
And lastly, the vintners and innkeepers sell their 
provisions at a most exorbitant price ; alledging, 
for their excuse, that the Pope lays such vast im- 
posts upon every thing that enters Loretto, that it 
is impossible any otherwise to save themselves 
harmless ; insomuch, as all being well weighed, 
the Pope proves to be the greatest exacter of all* 
And is not this now, think you, a place suffici- 
ently qualified with holiness, to make it the darl- 
ing city of the Blessed Virgin ? and are not these 
well chosen people, for whom God should work so 
many miracles to keep them in the secure possession 
of this house, which the Papists pretend to be the 
very same wherein the Eternal Word became in- 
carnate ? All the walls of the great church are full 
hung with a vast number of little pictures, in 
which are represented the miracles the Holy Vir- 
gin hath wrought in favour of those who have 
vowed to go thither in pilgrimage. 

I shall take occasion here to acquaint you in 
what manner miracles are still wrought every day 
in Italy, and what they are. I have observed 
three chief causes of them : the first is, The co~ 
vetonsness of the Clergy : the second is. The cun- 

ningness 



OF LORETTO, $c 141 

ningticss of some Beggars ; and the third is Po- 
pular Error, joined with a custom the priests 
have introduced of sending pictures to the 
churches, represent ng the dangers that many have 
escaped. 

As for the first of these, which is the avarice 
of the priests and religions, which are the two 
orders that divide the whole clergy, there can be 
no better invention to satisfy the same (next to 
purgatory ) than this of publishing' from time to 
time some miracles, they pretend to have been 
wrought in their churches. I say, next to pur- 
gatory, which is indeed to them an overflowing' 
source of riches, because the tiling- is more ge- 
nera?. All men must die, and all the elect ac- 
cording to their doctrine, must at least pass 
through the flames of purgatory for some hours 
or some days ? Neither w as there ever any, say 
they, except the Blessed Virgin, who by a pe- 
culiar privilege, has been exempted from it. This 
is the reason why there is not a Roman Catholic 
to be found why doth not give money for masses 
and prayers to be said for his deceased friends 
and kindred ; or, who doth not make legacies or 
foundations, for to have the same said for himself 
after his death. But as for miracles, these only 
happen in particular cases. Nevertheless, foras- 
much as the life of man is subject to many sad 
accidents or disasters, men would be very glad to 
be sure of a miracle to relieve them in time of 
need or dang-er. This is that which makes those 
of the Romish Communion, to whom their Priests 
promise no less at every moment, upon condition 
they will signalize their devotion at the chapel 
of such a miraculous saint, which they pretend 
to have in their church, or joinings themselves to 
some of their confraternities, suffer themselves 
easily to be persuaded to give them what money 
they ask of tnem, In the mean time, they find it 

necessary 



142 THE FOURTH LETTER, 

necessary from time to time, to awaken and excite 
the people's attentions by the starting of some 
new miracles, which they know how r to do with a 
great deal of address and cunning'. The most 
common w ay they make use of is this ; when they 
go to visit the sick, they carry along with them 
either wine or water, or some rag of linen, which 
they have blessed in the name of such an he or 
she saint; if the sick person, w r ho has made use 
of any of these, chance to recover, which very 
naturally may happen so, because we have in- 
stances every day of persons that recover, after 
that they have been given over by physicians, then 
the priests are sure to attribute the recovery of 
their health to the saint of their church : they de- 
mand an attestation of it from him who was sick ; 
they make a great noise with it through the city, 
and the next Sunday they publicly proclaim the 
miracle from the pulpit. In like manner, if any 
person be ready to undertake a journey or voy- 
age, they go to him, and persuade him to make a 
vow to some saint of their church ; and if after- 
wards it happens that this person, meet with some 
bad accident, as a dangerous storm at sea, a fall 
from his horse, or the overturning' of his coach, 
and that he escapes with his life and health, as it 
often happens, to the worst of men ; in this case 
he never fails ascribing it to the he or she saint 
of such a church : immediately upon his return, 
he acquaints the priests or monks therewith, who 
begin a-new to toss it about, crying, a miracle ! 
a miracle ! and that nothing can be of greater 
force against storms and tempests at sea, or mis- 
chances by land, than to apply one's self to the 
saint of their church, and to procure prayers and 
masses to be said for them there, as the person 
who is lately returned from his voyage, and to 
whom this miracle has happened, did upon his 
setting out. Others, who are endowed with a 

larger 



OF LORETTO, £c. 148 

larger conscience, and who believe it is lawful for 
them to lie, to enhance the honour of their 
saints, take the boldness to suppose and invent 
miracles, and to produce themselves for exam- 
ples, declaring, that they have had revelation?, 
or that the saints themselves have appeared to 
them, or have healed them of their infirmities. 
The people, who suffer themselves to be gulled 
by the outward appearances of godliness of such 
sorts of men, do not trouble themselves to search 
any further into the matter, but rely upon their 
word. There are some men, who from natural 
imitations, know two or three days before what 
kind of weather it will be. Thus there are some 
who by the pains they feel in their corns, will tell 
you whether we shall have fair or foul weather. 
A certain father, of the Order of the Serviis at Vi- 
cenza, a man of a wicked and debauched life, 
who entertained three lewd women at Venice, by 
whom he had had several children, being seized 
with a disease not fitting to be named, never 
failed of feeling excessive pains two or three days 
before rain. Now there happened an extraordi- 
nary drought for three months together, which 
caused extreme damage to all the fruits of the 
earth ; but at last, the season being about to 
change, the father was not wanting" to have the 
sad advertisements of it. He was the Sacristan, or 
(as we corruptly speak it) sexton of a church 
called Madonna del Monto, or My Lady of the 
Hill, which is about half a league distant from 
the city of Vicenza, situate upon a pleasant hill, 
where is kept a miraculous image of the Fif- 
fjin. And forasmuch as he perceived, that the 
devotion of the people was already much abat- 
ed, which he was very sensible of by the slack- 
ness of his purse, he thought of kindling it 
again. To this purpose, making- use of the pre- 
sent conjecture, he sent to the Podesta, or go- 
vernor 



144 



THE FOURTH LETTER, 



vernor of the city of Vicenza; acquainting' Mitt,; 
that being at prayer in the night time before 
the image of the Virgin, whose Sacristan he had 
the honour to be; she had told him, with an 
intelligible voice and a pleasant smile, That she 
had a great deal of compassion on the afflictions 
of her people, by reason of {he great draught 
which spoiled all the country ; and that in case 
the inhabitants of Vicenza would within three 
days make a general procession to his church, she. 
would open the flood-gates of heaven, so that there 
should be rain in abundance. The governor 
hereupon immediately caused an order to be 
published for a procession against the time the 
good frier had signified ; at which time the wea- 
ther did not fail to change and favour his wishes ; 
for scarcely was the procession advanced half- 
way, but there fell so furious a shower, that all 
those who assisted at it, were almost overthrown, 
and had much ado to get to the church, where 
they sung hymns of thanks to the Virgin for that 
high favour. This miracle being* rumoured abroad 
throughout the country, for two months together, 
drew a great number of people to this miraculous 
image. The devout Sacristan finding his purse 
well lined, repaired the next Carnavel to Venice, 
to divertize himself there, and to make his mis- 
tresses partakers of his good fortune ; and frank- 
ly acquainted them with the success he had, and 
how cleverly he had gulled the unthinking peo- 
ple: but sometime after, one of them falling out 
with him, like another D alii ah betrayed him, and 
discovered his imposture. Had it been in any 
other country, he would hardly have escaped with- 
out bearing the marks of it; but in Italy these 
things are easily excusable ; with saying, That 
nothing was intended in all this, save only the 
advancement of the Blessed Virgin's honour. 
Another fetch of the priests is something of my 

own 



OF LORETTO, $c 145- 

own discovery, and which I do not know that 
ever any one before nie has taken notice of ; and it 
is this, they are used to entertain children with 
an infinite number of false tales and stories, in- 
vented at random, concerning apparitions, and 
miracles that never were. To explain this fur- 
ther to you, you may take notice, That in Italy 
the children are catechized every Sunday and ho- 
ly-day, throughout the year, in all their churches, 
at one of the clock in the afternoon. To make 
them the more ready and willing' to come to be ca- 
techized, the priests after that they have ex- 
plained some one point of doctrine, they tell them 
for a conclusion some pleasant story before they 
send them home. The little Italians listen to it 
with the greatest attention imaginable, and 
as soon as they are come home, tell it to their 
mothers. I have observed, that these priests 
do commonly take for the subject of their story, 
some miracle or other, which they pretend to 
have been wrought in their church. I entered 
once into a chapel, where one of these your 
catechizers was informing* his voting" scholars, 
the chapel was dedicated to S. Martin. They 
ordinarily paint this saint on horseback, and with 
his sword cutting off the half of his cloak to 
give it for an alms to a poor beggar. It was in 
this posture this statue, which was of a very 
pure white marble, represented him on the al- 
tar of that chapel. When the catechizing was 
over, the priest began to tell these children a 
very pleasant story concerning this statue : he 
he told them, That a good curate of that parish, 
had often seen him, very fairly come down from 
the altar, and running a full gallop out of the 
church, that one day having taken the liberty to 
ask him, whither he was going ? $. Martin told 
him, that he was hasting to the assistance of a 
very honest man 9 who had procured many masses 

O to 



146 THE FOURTH LETTER, 

to be said at his altar, and being at present fallen 
into the hands of robbers, in the midst of a wood, 
was in great danger of his life ; but that he hop- 
ed to come timely enough for his relief; and 
that at his return, he would give him an account 
of the success of his enterprize. The catechizer 
flourished his discourse with circumstances so ex- 
travagant and ridiculous, that it was impossible to 
forbear laughing*. For he gave a very particular 
description of S. Martin 9 s whole journey, upon his 
horse of marble, how he rid a full gallop over 
trees, rivers, cities, and all. The poor children 
all this while listened to him with profound 
silence and attention. But the conclusion of all, 
and the cream of the jest was, That every one 
that bore a great devotion to that chapel, and 
procured, masses to be said there, in honour of' S. 
Martin, might assure themselves never to perish on 
the liighways, by the hands of robbers* The next 
day I had occasion to speak to my young* 
clergyman, and put him in mind of his mar- 
ble S. Martin, whom he made to ride post for 
a diversion to his scholars. He answered me 
smiling, What would you have one do, Sir, 
it is the custom of this country, to entertain 
the children that come to be catechised, with such 
stories as these ; because without this, we should 
have none of their company. It is impossible to 
tell them always true ones ; and therefore ice are 
sometimes fain to be beholding to oiw inventions 
for them. Things are only so far evil, as they 
produce ill effects ; but these sorts of stories can- 
not but in time bring forth good fruits, as that 
of inspiring (hem with great confidence in the 
saints, and obliging them to pray, and cause mas- 
ses to be said in honour of them. What think 
you ? is not this an excellent piece of sound mo- 
rality? and are not these children, think you 
well taught? they are called to the school of 

truth. 



OF LORETTO, $ c. U7 

truth, and yet they teach them nothing but lies. 
In the mean time, there is nothing capable of mak- 
ing* a greater impression on our spirits, or fixing a 
thing more lastingly in our memory, than what 
we learn in cur first and tender youth. All these 
foolish discourses do not fail of producing very 
great effects, and of passing at last, for current 
truth in the minds of the Papists, who, besides 
this, are accustomed very glibly to swallow a 
great number of absurdities and contradictions in 
point of transubstanciation, which they so stifly 
maintain ; and this it is probably, that has so 
over run Italy with fables, and impertinent and 
ridiculous stories. Yet these people are so infa- 
tuated therewith, that in case any honest man and 
lover of truth, should seem too curiously to en- 
quire after these matters, or in the least to dis- 
approve them, he would pass for no better than 
an heretic. Thus a certain person was cast into the 
Inquisition, for saying, That he did not believe 
tvhat was told of the Ass of S. Anthony of Pa- 
dua, that kneeled dozen to worship the host, to 
confound the Protestants. 

From this first cause of miracles, which is the 
covetousness of the clergy, I proceed to the second, 
which is the slight and cunning of certain beg- 
gars. 

Poverty is a well-spring- of great blessings to 
those who bear it patiently, taking it as from the 
hand of God, and making good use of it ; but 
withal, it is no less agulpb of all misery and up- 
happiness, to those who receive it with a con- 
trary spirit; and I do not believe there is any 
wickedness comparable to that of a wicked beg- 
gar. A wicked beggar hath no conscience ; lie is 
disposed to undertake any thing in order to rid 
himself from the wretched circumstances of a 
destitute condition. There be many of this sort 

2 in 



m THE FOURTH LETTER, 

in Italy, who live by their wits and invention : 
there are some that have the patience to counter- 
feit themselves cripples, blind, or struck with the 
palsy, for five or six years together, to make the 
world at least beJieve, that a miracle has been 
wrought upon them, attributing their recovery 
to some image of the Virgin, or to some saint. 
The profit which accrues to them by this is, that 
the people being informed of the miracle that 
hath been wrought for them, presently believe 
them to be very good men, and great friends of 
God, as havings received such signal favours from 
him : this makes them to bestow liberal alms up- 
on them, to have a share in their prayers ; yea, 
it often happens, that some rich and devout per- 
sons take care of, and make such provision for 
them, that they never want all the remainder of 
their lives. The priests and monks also afford 
them an allowance, when at any times by this 
means they bring any of their chapels in vogue 
and request, so as they receive considerable pro- 
fit thereby. I have been shewn many of these 
beggars in convents and monasteries, who live 
there amongst the domestics in great ease, and 
without doing any thing*. 

The third spring* from whence miracles issue in 
Italy, is ^popular error, which is crept in amongst 
them, and at present has taken such deep root, 
that it is in a manner impossible to pluck it up. 
It is this, upon the least accident that happens 
to the Italians, and the least sickness or indispo- 
sition that seized them, they n^afee a vow to some 
statue or image of the Virghi, or of some saint, 
to be delivered from it. Now it is evident, that 
all mishaps do not prove fatal to life, neither do 
all diseases terminate in death, so that many times 
they escape and are restored to health again ; 
which by a strange superstition, instead of attri- 
buting 



OF LORETTO, $c. 149 

buting the glory thereof to God alone, who is 
the sole Lord of life and death, they attribute 
the recovery of their health, or their deliverance 
from danger, to the statues or images to whom 
they have made their vows: to make their ac- 
knowledgment of their favour, they have received 
the more authentic, in compliance with the ill- 
custom introduced amongst them, they cause a 
picture to be drawn, wherein is set forth what 
happened to them, and themselves, in the act of 
imploring the aid of the statue or image, which 
to that purpose is represented in one of the cor- 
ners of the picture, and towards which they stretch 
forth their arms or folded hands with these three 
letters underneath, P.G.R., which signify in Ita- 
lian pro gratia ricevuta ; for a favour or grace 
receiped. 

These vowed pictures we generally find in all 
the churches of Italy ; neither is their any of them 
without some miraculous image, which receives 
the honour of all these deliverances and favours, 
and to whose glory these ship-wreck-tables are 
v hung* up. There is no need of any tapestery or 
hangings in these sorts of chapels ; for these 
small pictures are so thick hung, that they cover 
all the walls. There are all sorts of them ; 
some of them represent persons persued by mur- 
derers ; others, that have been wounded; and 
others beaten at sea by furious tempests. Yea, 
there are not wanting some of them that are very 
scandalous ; for we find amongst them coaches full 
of gentlemen and ladies overthrown, and they 
tumbling over one another ; young women that 
are forced by their lovers, and women in child- 
bed, represented in their beds in a very wanton 
and indecent manner. An Italian Lord told me, 
That he very tcillingly went to hear mass at 
those altars, that were best hung with such pic- 
tures as these, because meeting in them with some- 

O 3 thing 



150 THE FOURTH LETTER, 

thing for his imaginations to feed upon, the ser- 
vice of the mass did seem less tedious to him* 
These pictures, which are no more than simple 
vows, have acquired so great credit in the minds 
of people, that they pass at present for real mira- 
cles ; and the priests and monks, who write the 
histories, and the places of devotion which belong' 
to them, make no difficulty to alledge them as 
such. So that now in Italy, they count the mi- 
racles by these pictures ; and the more of these 
any statue or image hath about it, the more mira- 
culous it is. 

I will take this occasion to tell you of a picture. 
which some young monks of the abbey of S. Vic- 
tor, in Milan, caused to be made whilst I was 
there. The accident which happened to their* 
was this : they were gilding the roof of one of 
the lower isles of the church. These monks (nit 
of curiosity, whilst the workmen were gone to 
get their dinner, did climb up the scaffold to the 
number of seven or eight of them, to view their 
work, where one of them, less heedful than the 
rest, treading upon a board that was not well 
fastened, fell down upon the floor of the church. 
All the rest being affrighted at this accident, and 
supposing' that the whole scaffold was coming 
down, betook themselves to ladders, and let 
themselves slide down by them, without receiving 
any hurt, except only the poor monk, who fell 
down with the loose board, who was much bruis- 
ed. They took him up in his pitiful condition, 
and was obliged to keep his bed, two or three 
months before he was fully recovered. 

I was present when the accident happened, and 
could see nothing in all this, but what was very 
natural. He who fell, hurt himself proportion- 
ably to the height from whence he came down, 
and the rest received no hurt at all, because they 
slid down by the ladders ; in all this there appears 

nothing 



OF LORETTO, §c 151 

nothing of a miracle ; however, because the scaf- 
fold was erected before the chapel of S. Bernard 
Sienna, the monks concluded, that without doubt 
this saint had helped them. Accordingly they 
got a picture drawn, representing their fall, in 
one corner whereof the saint was painted, stretch- 
ing forth his hands for their safety. They pub- 
lished every where throughout the city, that 
this saint had upheld them in their fall from re- 
ceiving any harm. The cardinal archbishop was 
immediately acquainted therewith, and every one 
did congratulate them, for being so much in fa- 
vour with that saint. 

From this example, and what before I have told 
you upon this head of miracles, you may easily 
conceive, how far we are to give credit to those 
fine legends, of the lives of the new saints of 
the Romish Church* and of what weight that 
great list of miracles ought to be with us, which 
are the chief stuffing and garniture of them. 
There is not one of them that has not restored 
sight to th Q bMnd, hearing to the deaf, speech to 
the dumb, an I n clever use of their limbs to crip- 
ples ; nnd in a word, they have preserved from all 
ill accidents and cured all manner of diseases. But 
when one comes to an enquiry into particulars, ail 
this vanished in snioak, and the whole of the 
matter is reduced to some picture?, which some 
superstitious ones (who without reason have ima- 
gined themselves, to have received favours from 
them) have caused to be made. However, when 
these legends are sent to strange countries, that 
are of the Romish Communion, they make a great 
noise, and are all looked upon as miracles, suffi- 
ciently confirmed by authentic proof and evi- 
dence. It is a common reproach cast upon Pro- 
testants, That no miracles are done amongst them, 
and they will needs have this to be an invinci- 
ble argument, to prove they are in an error. A 

Jesuit 



152 THE FOURTH LETTER, 



Jesuit in a Latin oration, pronounced in the ca- 
thedral of Strasburgh, soon after that the French 
had taken possession of it, exclaimed in these 
words, Quid dubitamus de falsitate religionis eo- 
rum, apnd quos cessavit propheta Sc sacerdos, § 
miracula petiere ? What do we doubt any longer 
of the falseness of their religion, with whom both 
priest and prophet are ceased, and miracles are 
lost ? The Protestants might very well have an- 
swered him with truth, That there can be no rea- 
son of doubting, but that a religion so fraught 
xcith superstition and counterfeit miracles, as the 
Papists religion is, must needs be false. The 
profession of a good Christian is, to live accord- 
ing to the gospel ; but not to confirm it by mi- 
racles; this is the work of God alone, and there- 
fore we Ought not to reproach one another upon 
that score. We see every day, that jugglers 
(though we know they deceive us, and though we 
eye them with all the attention imaginable, for to 
discover their artifice,) are notwithstanding, so 
dextrous at their tricks, that they gull us before 
our face; and shall we blindly believe all the 
Italian priests and monks tell us, who have the 

fift of cheat and invention ? Sic notus Ulysses ? 
or my part, considering the times in which we 
live, I will never believe any miracle as long as 
my reason tells me, the thing was feasible by men. 

It is commonly held, that the body of S. Nicho- 
las, of Bar, in the Pouille, is miraculous : and 
that from his tomb their continually distills an oil 
very salutiferous, and proper to restore the sick 
to health ; but it is enough for me to disbelieve 
this miracle ; because I know> that men may easi- 
ly convey the oil thither, and ingeniously make it 
to distill down. I have sometimes seen some poor 
Pilgrims, who returned from that pilgrimage* and 
who had little bottles full of this oil, which had 
cos hem money enough, who would afterwards 



OF LORETTO, fc. 153 

fain have given it for a piece of bread, but could 
find no customers to take it off their hands, which 
makes it evident, that the Italians, for all their 
bigotry, had no belief in it themselves. In like 
manner at Naples, the priests make shew of a bot- 
tle, which they aver to be full of the blood ofJu- 
nuarins, archbishop of that city : when at first 
they bring* forth his blood to be seen, it appears 
all congealed ; but as they approach it to the body 
of this saint, it dissolves by degrees. As to this 
also, it is sufficient ground for me not to believe 
it; because I know that this liquor may be con- 
gealed, in the manner as they make sorbets, and 
afterwards dissolve by the heat of the place where 
they shew it, or by the heat of the hands of those 
who handle it. At Padua, is to be seen the 
tomb of S. Anthony of Padua, which sends forth 
a very sweet scent between that of ambergris and 
musk. The friars of that convent tell us, that 
this odour proceeds from the bones of that saint, 
which are shut up there: but the testimony of 
these fellows, who are so biassed by their interest, 
does not give me any satisfaction, as long as I 
know that they may easily anoint it with odorife- 
rous quintessences, and it is certain they do, be- 
cause that this odour is the very same with that 
of the perfumed pater-nosters, that are sold in the 
shops at Padua. In the same place they shew us, 
in a very fair chrystal, supported by a stately pe- 
destal of gold, extremely well wrought, the ton- 
gue of the said saint, which they say was found 
in his tomb, being endowed with the privilege of 
incorruption, all the rest of his flesh being con- 
sumed. They have the impudence to aver, that 
this tongue, for havings been a lash to the sacra* 
mentarians of his time, has been preserved thus 
sound and whole, without the least taint of cor- 
ruption, that as a perpetual miracle, it might bear 
witness to the truth of the doctrine of trcuisnbstan- 

tiation* 



154 THE FOURTH LETTER 

tiation. The greatest part of the Romish legends 
tell us, it is as fresh and lively, as when the 
saint was alive; but that is very false, for I have 
seen it, and it is dry. Those who have the art 
of embalming bodies, may preserve a tongue in 
this manner for many years, yea, many ages, with- 
out any thing extraordinary, or so mucli as bor- 
dering upon a miracle. 

Thus J have given you a view, Sir, of the most 
famous and avowed miracles of Italy, which the 
Roman Catholics pretend to be so palpable and 
sensible,' that they cannot be denied without giv- 
ing the lie to sense and reason. I will add to 
these three bodies of saints, which have been pre- 
served without any taiut of corruption, and which 
I have seen all three : the one is the body of S. 
Rose, of Viterbo ; the other of S. Clara, of Mon- 
faucon, and the third of S. Katherine, of Bono- 
nia. These bodies have been preserved whole and 
uncorrupted; but without any the least beauty, 
being altogether dried up, and as hard as paste- 
board, and very black ; they are very frightful 
to behold, notwithstanding they have drest them 
in very rich habits, and adorned them with more 
jewels, than the queens are embellished with on 
their coronation-days. Some have a great esteem 
for these incorrupted bodies, and so should I too, 
in case they enjoyed their former lively tincture 
and natural colour ; but to be so dry, so black, 
and so ghastly, it were more eligible in my 
mind, to return to the universal way of all flesh, 
than to be made partakers of such a kind of ixi cor- 
ruption ; neither can I see that God herein hath 
conferred any great favour upon these blessed 
saints, by preserving them in a condition proper 
to terrify nature, and affright mankind. The 
works of God are all perfect* he never bestows a 
favour by halves ; and if he were pleased to grant 
incorruption to bodies, he would also probably 

preserve 



OF LORETTO, $c. 155 

preserve them. Wherefore I do not believe, that 
the defective ineorruptions of the bodies of these 
saints can truly be ascribed to any thing else, 
but the dexterity of those who have dried or em- 
balmed them. 

We saw at the Chartreuse of Venice, the body 
of a noble Venetian, which being embalmed, has 
been preserved whole and entire for above an Iran- 
dred years. This person was never accounted a 
saint, and yet I found his body much fairer to the 
eye, than were those of the three saints now men- 
tioned, though it be much more disregarded and 
neglected than they are ; for they have left the 
body in an old wooden coffin, which does not shut 
close, and where all those that go to the Char- 
treuse, do view it and touch it; whereas the bo- 
dies of these saints are kept in very dry chapels, 
where the great wax tapers, that burn day and 
night, purify the air, and clear it of all moistures 
and impurity. 1 have also seen in France and 
Vandosme, in the collegiate church of the castle, 
the body of Jane d' Albert, who died a very zea- 
lous Protestant, above an hundred years since ; 
her body hath been very well embalmed ; and if 
at present one would take it up from the place 
where it lies, and dress it, and keep it in a very 
dry place, it would undoubtedly appear much 
fairer than that of these religious : and yet I am 
very well assured, the Roman Catholics will never 
say, she was a saint, 

And forasmuch as I am now upon the chapter 
of these saints, I shall acquaint you, that I have 
often read the hfstory of their lives, and of many 
others in the legends of the Church of Rome, but 
never in all mv life did 1 meet with anv thino* 
more ridiculous: and I have observed, that these 
are those prophetesses of which the Jesuit spoke 
at Strasburgh, and which the Protestants are de- 
prived of, Apud quos cessavit prophet a ; who have 

no 



153 



THE FOURTH LETTER, 



no prophets amongst them. In a manner, all their 
religious, (after they are arrived to the state 
of perfection, as they call it) they take upon them 
to prophesy. For the better understanding of this, 
you may take notice, that at Rome they have dis- 
tinguished or divided the spiritual life, into seve- 
ral states i as an house hath many stories, the 
lowermost, the middle, and the highest or upper- 
most. There is one state they call Active, this is 
the lowest, and consists only in action, and an 
ordinary regulation of the senses, according to 
the law of (Sod: the second is the contemplative 
state, which consists in the meditation of those 
things which have no communication with the 
senses ; the third is a state of exiaiical, abstracted 
and purely passive, in which the soul does no- 
thing but by a simple application, adhersion, and 
union with the divine essence, receive, (without 
any action, affection, or contemplation on her pari) 
impressions from God. There are but few that 
arrive to this uppermost story; but when any one 
once got thither, whatever word they utter or 
action they do, it is no more they themselves who 
act or speak, but God that speaks and acts in 
them; for, as for them, they never depart from this 
their intimate union with God. Whatsoever they 
say or speak in this state, is very carefully heed- 
ed, as being- all divine : if they speak of things 
past, they are revelations, if of things to come, 
they are all prophecies. It is by this door so 
many new notions are entered into the church of 
Rome, which they believe as firmly as the gos- 
pel, though they have no other foundation, but 
the over-heated brains of these saints. Many of 
these, have themselves penned their own revela- 
tions, as S. Briget, S. Xlelchilda, S. Katharine, of 
Sienna, S. Gertrude, and many others. By means 
of these saintesses, the church of Rome hath at- 
tained the knowledge of all the particularities of 

our 



OF LORETTO, Sec. 157 

our Saviour's passion; how many strokes he re- 
ceived at his whipping' ; how often he fell to the 
ground under the heavy burden of his cross ; how 
many thorns pierced his sacred head ; and how 
many times they spit in his holy face. By the 
same way they have discovered whatsoever hap- 
pened in the manger at Bethlehem ; how th e 
Blessed Virgin took the veil from her head, and 
made clouts of it for her little Jesus ; what she 
said and did, before she was delivered of him ; 
and a vast number of other particulars which are 
not to be met with in the gospel. By this means 
they were informed of the great mystery of the 
assumption of the Blessed Virgin, when she as- 
cended up to heaven in soul and body, the dis- 
course she had with the apostles, how she by de- 
grees mounted up into the air, bestowing her 
blessing's all the wav she went. In a word, al- 
most all the new doctrine of popery, is derived 
from this overflowing spring, which is not yet 
dried up, nor ever will, as long as there are any 
of these prophetesses left in their church. To 
give more weight to these new imaginations, these 
gaints assured, that Jesus Christ appeared to them 
very often, and was become very familiar with them, 
that he talked with them as a bridegroom does 
with his bride, and that they took occasion in these 
familiarities, to ask him whatsoever they desired 
to know. Jesus Christ himself, taught S. Kathe- 
rine of Sienna, to read; he came and did blow 
her fire for her, he swept her chamber, as may be 
seen in the history of her life, by which means shs 
had occasion of discoursing with him often. Others 
of them received visits from Jesus Christ, who 
came and visited them, accompanied with his mo- 
ther and his apostles, where they had great con- 
ferences together, and these saintesses that heard 
them, discovered many secrets and mysteries in 
their discourse, which they afterwards communi- 

P cated 



158 THE FOURTH LETTER, 

eated to the Popes and the church; and this is 
that which at this day, in great measure, makes 
the difference between the doctrine of the Papists, 
and of the Protestants, apud qaos cessavit prophe- 
ta, who have no prophet to boast of. There is 
never a convent of nuns in Italy, that has not 
some prophetesses, which is always some old mo- 
ther, that hath been twice or thrice superior of 
the convent, and who not being- in a condition of 
doing any thing else, applies herself to the uni- 
five life. 

During the long stay I made at Vicenza, I often 
went to visit the abbess of the nuns of S. Thomas: 
I upon a time enquired of her concerning the state 
of her nuns, who told me that she had forty-four 
that were in the active life, three in the contem- 
plative, and only one in the mystical or unitive. A 
young countess, who was in the same convent, 
and who was visited by four or five gallant.*, who 
came to see her at the grate, was got no farther yet 
than the active life. I will engage myself no far- 
ther at present in entertaining you about the nuns 
of Italy, because probably I may have an occa- 
sion to do it more at leisure. 

I return now to my she saints, whose bodies re- 
main uncorrupt. They were all three of them 
arrived at the unitive state, and have all of them 
left prophecies behind them: S.Rose of Viterbo, 
did for a long time inportune the Dominican nuns 
of that city to receive her among them, and to 
give her the habit of their Order; but the nuns 
knowing she was extremely poor, and she could 
not do, as the rest did, bring money to the con- 
vent, refused her company, and would not so much 
as receive her into the number of convent sis- 
ters. The saint understanding this their reject- 
ing her, told them, that though they would have 
none of her now she was alive ; yet they should 
be very o-lad to have her when she was (jkad. 
J * This 



OF LORETTO, $c. 159 

This prophecy proved true, for Rose being de- 
ceased with the odour of sanctity, and many mira- 
cles, after the Italian manner, being wrought at 
her tomb, these same nuns desired her body, 
which was granted them. The great number of 
masses which are procured to be said to her, and 
the abundance of alms that travellers and pil- 
grims do leave there, makes them consider this 
body at present, as their greatest treasure. This 
prophecy of S. Rose, was very easy to be made ; 
she knew she was already advanced in the good 
opinion of the people, for to make them esteem 
her a saint after her death, She knew, moreover, 
that the bodies of such are always very gainful, 
that the nuns of their convent, as well as others 
in Italy, were very covetous ; and that by virtue 
of a vow she had made to S. Dominions, they 
would not fail to demand her relics, as of rig-ht 
belonging to them, and so was in a condition to 
prophesy on a sure ground. The saint whose 
body is to be seen at Monte Faucon, is accom- 
panied with something that is very remarkable ; 
they shew you all- the instruments of the passion 
of our Saviour, which they say were found in her 
heart after her decease ; they are all of dried 
flesh, like as her heart is ; they are very con- 
fused, neither are all of them sufficiently distin- 
guishable or discernable. They shew you like- 
wise three little round pellets of flesh, which they 
say were likewise taken out of her heart. One 
of these pellets being laid in a pair of scales, 
weighs as much as all the three together, and all 
the three weigh no more than one alone. This 
makes them say, that God was willing to imprint 
in the heart of this saint a resemblance of the 
most Holy Trinity : for in like maimer, as these 
three pellets, though different in number, yet 
make but one weight, and that the weight of one 

P 2 alone ? 



160 THE FOURTH LETTER, 

alone, is no less than that of al! the three tog-e- 
ther, bo likewise, though there be three persons 
in the Holy Trinity, yet there is but one essence, 
and one of these persons is in no less divine perfec- 
tion, than the other two. I have seen these 
three pellets: but so far as they from suffering 
one to try the experiment, that they will not suf- 
fer you to touch - it with your finger, to feel whe- 
ther it be flesh or no. Every one knows, that a 
strong imagination is capable of producing strange 
effects in the body. We see every day children 
that come into the world bearing the marks of 
their mothers longings, which are the effects of 
their imagination. It may be that this saint did 
so strongly imagine the instruments of the pas- 
sion, as to leave them engraved in her heart; but 
it seems to me, that this is a violence done to na- 
ture, which can no way be pleasing to God, who 
is the author of it. As for S. Catherine of Bo~ 
nonia, she more particularly rendered herself fa- 
mous by her abstracted life. The history of her 
life tells us, that she was in a continual union 
with God. Doctor Molina s was no stranger to 
this unitive life, for this is what he calls his pray- 
er of rest: I doubt not at all, but that one day 
he would have been one of the saints of Rome, 
had not obedience to superiors, and particularly 
to the Pope, been concerned in the case. The 
Pope will suffer you to unite with God, as much 
as you please, provided always that this union do 
not hinder you from obeying him, more than 
God himself. I doubt not indeed, but that there 
may be, even to this day, perfect souls amongst 
them that are ravished even into the third hea- 
ven ; but these are extraordinary graces, which 
do not depend on any natural endeavour we can 
exert to obtain them. But when 1 consider that 
the Roman Catholics have a made fixed state of 

union, 



OF LORETTO, $c 161 

Union, that they prescribe rules to attain it, and 
it is sufficient, according to them, to put them- 
selves into the hands of one of these mystical 
or unitive doctors, and follow their directions, in 
order to arrive at this state. When I consider 
this, I say, 1 cannot but condemn their error. It 
is a piece of impiety to make the divine opera- 
tions dependent on the humours of men; to give 
rules for the obtaining of that by way of merit, 
which is the mere gift of grace, and to make one's 
self the dispenser and disposer of the gifts of 
heaven, as these sorts of doctors pretend to do. 
Moreover, the ill consequences that follow from 
hence, are very pernicious to souls. First of all, 
this assurance only, received from these mystical 
masters, of once being advanced to the unitive 
life, whilst so many others are left behind in the 
contemplative and active live?, which are so far 
below it, is very proper to inspire the parties 
concerned with pride and vain glory. Second- 
ly, this may prove a very great discouragement 
to those who are necessarily engaged in active 
life, to consider that there are such perfect states 
beyond them, which it is impossible for them ever 
to attain to; because these doctors do not think them 
fit to be admitted thereto. Thirdly, this opens a 
door to manifold superstitions and errors : for 
they who are engaged in the active life, never 
take the pains to examine what the contemplative 
say; nor these, what the unitive or mystical do 
all edge for truth ; so that the two first do both of 
them rely upon these last, who for the most part 
are persons of weak brains, and most extrava- 
gant thoughts, who believe, that whatsoever they 
speak or net, is from God, It is evident, that the 
opinion of transubstantiation is only an effect of 
their whimsey, by the impropriety, abuse, and 
confusion of the terms they make use of to ex- 
plain themselves. For in like manner, as they 

P 3 call 



162 THE FOURTH LETTER 

call tlieir mystical life sometimes union, unity, 
indentity, confusion, or mingling of the soul with 
God; sometimes the loss of the soul in God; the 
pure sight of God ; peaceable possession of God, 
and many more which may be seen in the books 
that treat of the mystical life, whereof some are 
very false and impious, as those of unity, identi- 
ty, confusion, and losing- of one's self in God ; 
and all the others do only belong to the future 
life : now in like manner, say I, as they make use 
of these terms to signify a simple adherence, 
compliance and acquiescence of our souls in the 
good pleasure of God, which cannot produce iden- 
tification ; so of old times they called the Holy 
Supper, the real union of Jesus Christ with our 
souls, and the bread we partake therein, the 
truth, reality, and substance of the body of Je- 
sus Christ, which notwithstanding, is only there 
in a figure ; and afterwards, when this error had 
taken good root, it brought forth this big word 
of transubstantiation, which at this day makes 
the chief difference between Papists who main- 
tain it tooth and nail, and the Protestants who 
oppose it: neither is it any great matter of won- 
der, that an error of such consequence is crept 
into the church of Rome, without making any 
great noise ; for in the first place, there was no- 
thing in it contradictory to the Pope's authority ; 
and again, it was not lawful for the people to ex- 
amine what the mystical tribe asserted, insomuch 
that even to this day in Italy, if you chance in 
discourse with a contemplative or unitive person 
to contradict them in any thing, they tell you 
freely, that these are matters too high for your 
capacity, and that you are to believe them in the 
things they assert, as being- better acquainted 
than you with the ways of God, and as having al- 
ready spent a considerable time in tracing the 
mystical paths of a spiritual life. I have scarce 

ever 



OF LORETTO, im 

ever seen any of these mystical person.?, but were 
yery proud : they look upon themselves as eagles 
who take their flights in the highest part of the 
air; and upon other men, as beasts creeping up- 
on the earth. A common and humble life, full of 
afiibilky, benignity and sweetness towards one's 
neighbour, shall always be more desirable to me 
than all these great sublimations of spirit, which 
are apt to inspire men with so much pride; and 
if eyer it shall please God to raise me to the 
high degree of contemplation or union, it shall 
be his work, and not the effect of any rules or 
directions which men can afford me. In Italy 
they make a kind of trade of it, and if a man 
doth not put himself into the hands of some of 
these mystical doctors, who pretend to be old 
travellers, and thoroughly well acquainted with 
the way to heaven, and who profess the art of 
guiding souls thither, he can never hope of ar- 
riving there. These professors are ordinarily old 
Jesuits, old capuchins, or old fathers, missionaries, 
which being no more able to scout it up and down 
in strange countries, in Holland and in England 
to pervert Protestants, apply themselves in their 
convents to play the seraphic fathers, to the end 
they may be followed by a company of he and 
she votaries, whom they discourse to morning and 
evening in their churches. When they are met 
together in their assemblies, you hear nothing 
but sighs, groans, and some broken words, at 
another guess rate than the Quakers in England^ 
and certainly in this respect, they have nothing 
to cast them in the teeth with ! The director is 
seated in his confessional chair, in tire midst of 
all these people, whom he calls his sons and 
daughters; and there, as from a tribunal cr 
throne, he determines, without appeal of tin :r 
sighs, and of their postures, whether they proceed 
from God, the devil, or self-love : young' woin?i% 

or 



164 THE FOURTH LETTER, 

or married, are seldom found at these sorts of 
assemblies, because commonly they are kept in 
on working days, on which days the Italians 
keep them shut up under lock and key ; but they 
are commonly widows and old maids, who have 
no persons to command them. They call them in 
Italy, Beati, or Blessed Ones, good sisters, de- 
vout women, and sometimes by way of derision, 
Bigots. The father directors are very zealous of 
their advancement in the mystical life, and never 
leave them, till they have so wholly divested 
them of all love for the good things and riches 
of this world, that to be delivered from the bur- 
then of them, they settle them on their convent : 
then it is, they are arrived at perfection. They 
call them sisters, and tell them, that having made 
a gift of their goods to their monasteries, it is 
the same thing, as if they had professed amongst 
them. They bestow upon them pieces of their 
habits, they call them Little Scaptdaries, which 
they wear next their bodies ; by virtue of 
which bits of cloth, they are made partakers of 
all the good works they do, and of all the graces, 
privileges, blessings, and indulgences granted to 
their order : when they are dead, they bury 
them in their churches, and they endeavour, if 
they can, to make them pass for saints, for an 
encouragement to others. And indeed, it is very 
easy for them to do it : to this purpose they have 
but this course to take ; the first sick person they 
go to visit, they amply discourse about the high 
state of perfection to which madam such an one 
was arrived, who was lately buried in their 
church ; that they do not doubt in the least, 
but she is a great saint, and that if the sick per- 
son can resolve to pray to, and call upon her with 
full assurance, they question not but she will 
work a miracle in favour of him; yea, they many 
times offer to bless some wine, syrup, or some 

other 



OF LORETTO, ICS 

®iher liquor in the name of this saint, or to d(p 
it in something or other that in her life time she 
used to wear, as her discipline, or pater noster: 
and having* done this, they otter this liquor to 
the sick party to drink, who if they chance to 
recover, the saint hath wrought a miracle ; they 
cause a picture to be drawn of what happen- 
ed, which they carry to the saint's tomb. But 
if it happen that the patient die, or that the sick- 
ness continue very long, there is not a word 
made of it, but all hushed in hopes of better op- 
portunity for the future. Those who are any 
thing acquainted with the state of affairs in Italy, 
know that in all this, I advance nothing but what 
is very true. Hence it is easy to conceive by 
what means so many new saints are entered into 
the Church of Rome, to whom at present altars 
are erected. It is to no purpose to all edge here, 
the great precautions they take at Rome, in ex- 
amining matters of fact in the verbal processes 
they make of their canonization ; so that is impos- 
sible for any thing to escape the cognizance of 
those who have the charge of it. Alas, it is but 
too well known, how great a power silver and 
gold have at Rome ; and it is certain, they ne- 
ver canonize any saint, but it brings them in im- 
mense sums of money. In case any difficulties 
be started, it is only to get the money doubled. 

My design at first, was only to give you some 
account of the Italic pilgrimages; but the occa- 
sion of mentioning these three saints, whose bodies 
are preserved in incorruption, have put me up- 
on this digression. Wherefore to make an end in 
few words of what I have yet to say of my first 
subject, you may take notice, that all other pil- 
grimages of Italy, besides those of Lorctto, Rome, 
and S. Anthony of Padua, are very inconsider- 
able. Some Pilgrims go to S. Michael, which is 
at Mount Gargan, in the Pouille, others to S. Ni- 
cholas, 



166 THE FOURTH LETTER, 

cholas of Bar; but the most that go to these 
places are beggars, because the way thither is very 
troublesome from the city of Naples ; lying all 
over high mountains, and the inhabitants of the 
country are almost all robbers : the Italian lords 
are very backward to lead their ladies a walk thi- 
ther, with their pilgrim-staves ?llset with dia- 
monds. The delicious march of Ancona, is much 
more proper and secure for this sort of pilgrims : 
the pilgrimag-e of S. Anthony of Padua, in the 
pleasant Venetian country, is, for the same rea- 
son, much more suitable to them. There be very 
few Italians who do not take this journey every 
three years, and some of them go regularly every 
year. This saint has gained so great credit in Ita- 
ly that he is of equal esteem with the Virgin, 
yea, with God himself; some with a great deal of 
reason have called him the God of Italy, Italice 
Devs. When an Italian has sworn by S. Antonio, 
it is the greatest oath he can swear. And where- 
as, in other countries they are wont to say, / in- 
tend to go to such or such a place at such a time, 
if God preserve my life / or, / will do this or 
that, if it please God ; it is their custom to say, 
/ toill go thither, or or do this, if it please the 
Virgin and $. Anthony. Their most common in- 
terjection, whenever they are in any danger, sur- 
prize, or admiration, is to cry Madonna Santis- 
sima ! or Antonio ! And by a strange kind of blas- 
phemy, though they make it a great point of de- 
votion, they have the impiety to say, I hope in S> 
Anthony, that I shall never perish. They call 
him the saint, by way of emphasis, 77 Santa, 
which is a great honour, but of right, due to .God 
only, to whom the angels cry continually, holy, 
holy, holy ! There is never a church in Italy, 
where there is not an altar dedicated to S. An* 
thony of Padua. They make their addresses in 
particular to this saint, for all things that are 



OF LORETTO, Sec. 107 

lost, to which purpose they tell you this follow- 
ing story : 

A rich Venetian merchant being at sea, by mis- 
chance let a diamond of a very great price fall 
into the sea, who immediately upon his return to 
Venice, went to Padua, and betook himself al 
Santo; he desired the friars of that convent to say 
nine masses for him, and to join their prayers with 
his for the recovery of his diamond. The ninth 
day, after his nine masses were ended, the mer- 
chant designing* to treat all the monks of the 
convent with a dinner, he brought amongst other 
things a very large fish and sent it to them ; the 
friar cook having opened and gutted this fish, 
found the diamond in the intrails of it, which 
the merchant had dropped into the sea, which 
was immediately restored to him, and thanks re- 
turned to the saint, who had heard their prayers. 

This story is related at large in the legend of 
his life; but does it not seem to you, Sir, to be 
contrived or invented of these good monks, to 
persuade men to send them in good dinners, and 
to get them to say masses for them? 

They tell another pleasant story, which how- 
erer they were very cautious of inserting in their 
legend. The friars del Santo, go without contra- 
diction for the most debauched that are in all 
Padua, and who in this quality out-yie the 
scholars themselves of the university. One of 
these monks having for some months solicited a 
young woman to comply with his lust, she at last 
fell under the temptation ; but soon after was so 
extremely grieved for the sin she had committed, 
that she was ready to despair : the friar perceiv- 
ing it, notwithstanding what was past, made a 
shift to persuade her, that in case she would give 
him some considerable sum of money, for masses 
to be said to S. Anthony, that saint should restore 
her the virginity she had lost. Thus besides the 

satisfying 



163 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

satisfying of his lust, he got money of her, where- 
with to glut his luxury elsewhere. I will not 
oblige you to believe this story, having no suffi- 
cient warrant to believe it myself; however, sure 
I am, that these jolly monks, under the cloak of 
their S. Anthony, play many tricks not a whit in- 
ferior to this. 

I may possibly have occasion to entertain you 
w ith some of them in one of my Letters, and in 
the mean time conclude this, assuring you that 
I shall be all my life, 

Sh\ your, §-c. 



LETTER V. 

OF FESTIVALS AND CONFRATERNITIES, $C 



SIR, 

I met with nothing considerable in my journey 
from Loretto to Rome, save the accident that 
happened to me in passing of a bridge, whereof 
I gave you an account in my last Letter. I 
arrived there about Christmas, and continued in 
that city all the holidays, and the Lent follow- 
ing, until Easter. My principal employment dur- 
ing my stay here, was to frequent their festivals, 
to hear their sermons, and to be present at their 
confraternities, which accordingly I do intend 
shall be the subject of this present Letter. 

This word feast or festival, in the Church of 
Rome, properly signifies those days of the year 
which are more religiously observed than the rest, 
in honour either of the Virgin, or of some mys- 
tery 



OF FESTIVALS, 139 

tery of the gospel, or of some saint, which we in 
England call Holydays. Some of these /easts 
are universal, others only particular. The univer- 
sal feasts are those that are generally observed 
in all countries that profess the Romish religion, 
and on these days, they are hound, under pain of 
mortal sin, to go to mass. The particular feasts 
are such as are only kept in certain provinces, 
cities, parishes, or chapels. Thus, forasmuch as 
at Rome, there is a prodigious number of churches 
and chapels, it is every day holy day ^ in divers 
parts of that city. 

But they have another sort of feasts in Italy, 
which for distinction sake, I may call Feasts of 
Gallantry. These are when some noble or weal- 
thy persons do at their own costs and charges 
undertake to have the first and second vespers, 
together with the mass, sung in music, in honour 
of some he or she saint : I give them the name of 
Gallant Feasts, not so much for the music's sake, 
(drat is to say, for the admirable symphony of 
voices and concerts of instruments, which are 
so great a part of them,) but with respect to the 
ladies who are invited to them, or who do common- 
ly frequent them. 

After that I had for some days rested myself at 
Home, I went abroad to take a view of the cu- 
riosities and antiquities of that great city. As 
I was walking one evening on the Piazza JVo- 
vonna, I passed by a very fine church, called 
de la Pace; the porch, which of itself was a most 
exquisite piece of architecture, of the fairest 
white marble, was over and above magnificently 
embellished and adorned with most curious pic- 
tures, and a multitude of figures made of small 
sheets of silk of different colours, of the Bonc- 
nia fashion. This gave me the curiosity of enter- 
ing into the church, where I saw a very fine com- 
pany of gentlemen, who had caused a kind of a 

Q throne 



m THE FIFTH LETTER, 

throne to be made for them in a part of the 
church from whence they,could very commodi- 
ously view those who either came in or went 
out. It was one of these gentlemen, as I under- 
stood afterwards, at whose appointment and 
charges this feast was celebrated in honour of S. 
Agnes; though it was not the day of the year 
which is consecrated to her, viz., the 21st. of Ja- 
nuary, but there was another mystery in the case, 
which we shall presently discover. 

These young lords had each of them in their 
turns appointed the celebration of their mistresses 
festivals : they were eight of them in all, whereof 
the four first had already kept theirs in other 
churches, and this was the feast appointed by 
the fifth of them. He was of the family of Car- 
pegna, and his mistresses name was Agnes Vie- 
torini. : The church de la Pace, that is, of Peace, 
is extremely well adorned ; it is gilt and painted 
all within in like manner, as almost all the 
churches of Rome are; however, the more to ex- 
alt its beauty, and to add something peculiar with 
relation to this feast, now to be solemnized there, 
there were several triumphal arches erected in 
the middle of the church, which afforded a lively 
representation of the History of S. Agnes, who 
by her constancy triumphed over all the torments 
which tyrants could Inflict upon her. 

This whole history was represented to the life, 
with little scrowls of silk : these are of different 
sizes, and of all sorts of colours. They know the set 
price they are to pay for an hundred ells there- 
of ready wrought, and every one chuseth what 
please th them best. There are a sort of men at 
Rome, and throughout all Italy* who are called 
Addohbaiori, or Adomers of Churches; these 
furnish the silk themselves, and are extremely in- 
genious and artificial to fold and form them in 
all manner of shapes and figures. They had been 

three 



OF FESTIVALS, S?c. 171 

three weeks a preparing these ornaments I am 
speaking of : there were two theatres erected on 
each side of the choir, which were embellished 
all over with histories represented in the foresaid 
silken figures ; the one being designed for the 
vocal music, the other for the instrumental, each 
consisting of fifty musicians ; besides these, there 
were in a little box near the altar, four musici- 
ans, called Singalones, which were said to be four 
of the best musicians that were in Rome, who 
were to sing* by themselves, the one after the 
other. They never go anywhere to sing, but they 
are paid forty crowns for each Motet. 

The Italians, more than any other nation of the 
world, love concerts of music, and those amongst 
them that have good ears, follow those excellent 
musicians to all places, so that there was a vast 
concourse to this church. When I entered, the 
music was not yet begun, and I took my place 
near to the throne, where these gentlemen were 
seated. They seemed to be somewhat restless to 
have vespers or eve-song begin, for it was already 
near six o'clock, and all the wax candles had 
already been lighted above a quarter of an hour, 
and the musicians were all at their posts. Some 
boys that had counted the wax-tapers, said there 
were four hundred and forty of them, of an ex- 
traordinary white wax. However, the gentlemen, 
all impatient as they were, durst not order the be- 
ginning of the ceremony, because the fair A ones- 
for whose dear sake all these preparations were 
made, was not yet come ; and forasmuch as they 
were willing not to be understood, they made use 
of the little French they had learnt, to talk to 
one another. The principal (who was at the cost 
of this festival, somewhat to quiet the mind of his 
companions) told them, he was assured his Agnes 
would quickly be there ; that he had sent one of 

Q 2 his 



fm THE FIFTH LETTER, 

his lackeys, to come and give him notice, as soon 
as he should see her set forth from home; that 
she precisely knew the hour, and having pro- 
mised to be there, she would certainly be as good 
as her word. Some of them answered him, that 
they feared lest her mother, who was very diffi- 
cult and humoursome, might keep her at home, 
and advised him to send another lackey to ac- 
quaint her mother, that if she would not suffer 
her daughter to come, she should repent it. But 
just afe they were in consultation about this point, 
in comes the first lackey, and tells his master, that 
the long-looked for Agnes was coming, and al- 
ready very near the church ; whereupon, imme- 
diately a signal was given to the musicians to be 
in a readiness, and at the very moment she set 
her foot in the church, upon another signal given 
them, they thundered away the first anthem of 
the common-eve song for the Feast of Virgins, 
beginning thus, Hccc est Virgo sapiens $f una de 
numero prudentnm. This is a wise Virgin, and 
one of the prudent ones. Whereupon our gentle- 
men in a trice changed their restlessness into an 
excess of joy and satisfaction, which might easi- 
ly be read in their faces. I heard them say, that 
ladies often took pleasure to make their lovers 
wait for them, to make their presence, after a 
long attendance, the more acceptable and wel- 
come. I should never have known this fair idol, 
amongst those throngs of ladies, that entered 
every moment, if the young- gentleman, who had 
prepared all ihis incense for her, had not gone 
to meet her, and led her to her place. She 
seemed to me very modestly dressed, having 
her head, covered with a large black scarf, 
which almost reached down to her feet ; her face 
was wholly covered, according- to the custom of 
the Romish ladies, whenever they go abroad: her 

mother 



OF FESTIVALS, $c. 173 

mother followed her, the custom o£ the country 
being far the daughters to go before, and the 
mothers after. Near to the throne where these 
gentlemen were seated, there was prepared for 
her a reading-desk, covered with a very fair car- 
pet of blue velvet, set round with a deep golden 
fringe, and great cushions of the same, richly em- 
broidered, whereon she and her mothor kneeled 
down. I was very near her, and observed, that 
as long as the music lasted, she did her utmost 
endeavour, under pretext of sticking some pins 
about her head, to discover some part of her face, 
in favour of those gentlemen, who had their eyes 
almost continually fixed upon her; she made a 
shift to send them some smiles : her breasts were 
scandalously exposed to view, for there being" no- 
thing to cover them, save only that of her veil, 
which hung down over them, she knew so dex- 
terously to play with it, that every one who was 
not deprived of his eye-sight, might at times have 
a full view of them. In the mean time, the mu- 
sic was incomparable and ravishing-, and all the 
anthems that were sung, though for the most part 
they were taken out of the Canticles, were more 
applicable to this young lady, than to S. Agnes, 
whose feast they pretended to celebrate. Whilst 
I was here, I chanced to cast an eye upon a pic- 
ture of this saint, which was placed upon the al- 
tar, at which the masses were to be said the next 
morning, and I easily perceived it to be the 
very face of Agnes Victorini, except only, that it 
was surrounded with rays, as the saints are used 
to be, and that they had painted a little lamb 
by her, as is* customary in all the representations 
of S. Agnes. I saw by this, that the young gen- 
tleman had forgot nothing that might manifest 
his devotion to his lady, having taken care to 
place her upon the very altars, there to be ador- 
ed by every one. About the middle of the even- 

Q 3 song. 



174 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

song two of these gentlemen took a great charger 
full of flowers, with an intent to present all the 
ladies there present with nosegays made of Car- 
nations, knops of roses, and orange flowers mix- 
ed together, (for at Rome you may have every 
sort of flowers at any season of the year,) they 
were tied together with a golden twist, to which 
was fastened a fair knot of about three or four 
yards of ribband ; so that each nosegay could 
not be worth less than two crowns, or thereabouts*. 
The first of these was presented to the fair Ag- 
nes; and I took notice, that there was a little note 
conveyed between the flowers, which she imme- 
diately took thence and put in her Hours, or Book 
of Devotion, to peruse it. It was not possible 
for me to discern the contents, and though I was 
very nigh to her, I could not discover any more 
than these two words, Mia Diva, My Goddess. 
No sooner were these nosegays distributed, but 
there came flying from the upper galleries cf the 
church, a vast quantity of printed papers, which 
the people strove to catch. These prints contain- 
ed sonnets in the praise of S. Agnes, but which 
really and indeed reached the lady, much more 
than the saint; for the poem was almost a conti- 
nual allusion to victories ; being a sufficient hint 
they were calculated for her, whose name was 
Victorini. The concert of music lasted almost 
four hours, and it was very late before all was 
over; however, so exceeding charming and de- 
lightful was the music, that it seemed to me I 
had not been above half an hour in the church. 

The next day I returned thither again, and was 
present at the whole service ; which was cele- 
brated with all the pomp and solemnity imagin- 
able. All the morning they celebrated a great 
number of masses, and many abbots (to honour 
the young Carpagna and his mistress) came and 
said mass at the altar, but now mentioned before 



OF FESTIVALS, $0. 175 

the fair image. At the beginning of high mass, 
they threw down from the upper galleries other 
sonnets ; some of them in praise of S. Agnes, and 
others in commendation of the young gentleman, 
who was the master of the festival: for the priests 
of this church finding themselves much obliged 
to him for that he had been pleased to make choice 
of their church for this solemnity (whence they 
always reap a considerable profit) had caused this 
poem to be made in praise of his devotion and 
extraordinary worth. There are a sort of men in Ita- 
ly, whom they call Virtuosi, or Poets, who make 
a livelihood of praising others; that is, of making* 
encomiastical songs or poems. Neither is it ex- 
penceful to make use of their wit ; for if you do 
but give them the subject, they furnish you with 
a good one for a single crown, so that you are at 
no further charges, save only that of printing it. 

It was one of the clock in the afternoon by that 
time the morning service was ended, when the 
ladies retired to their own homes, and the gen- 
tlemen, with the priests, to an apartment near 
the Church of Peace, whither they had taken 
care to send abundance of provisions, to make a 
sumptuous dinner, The musicians retired into the 
sextory, whither some hours after they sent into 
them several large dishes of meat, abundance of 
all sorts of wine, with sugared cooling' waters. The 
notes distributed to that purpose, specified, that 
the second even-song was to begin about three in 
the afternoon ; wherefore I made it my business 
to be there about that time; but 1 found I was 
come too soon, for the musicians had not dined 
yet, more dishes of meat being still sent into 
them, neither did service begin till about five o: 
the clock ; and the same order was observed as a; 
the former even-song, except only that the verse j 
and anthems were changed, and that the ladies 
(before they departed) were not only presented 



176 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

with nosegays, as before, but with great charges 
of sweetmeats, with which they filled their hand- 
kerchiefs, and so returned home laden with flowers 
and fruits. The young Carpagna, not a little 
proud and pleased, for having- so magnificently 
discharged all the part of that solemnity, received 
the congratulatory applauses of all his compa- 
nions ; and another of them (whose turn was next) 
appointed the next Sunday for a like festival to 
be celebrated at the church of S. Andrew of the 
Valley, where he had ordered all things to be 
prepared for the solemnizing of the Feast of S. 
Catherine 

I was willing, Sir, somewhat to enlarge myself 
in the description of the particulars of this feast ; 
not as if it were a thing rare and extraordinary, 
(for indeed, what I have here related is but as one 
of. a thousand that I have seen, and which it 
would be very superfluous to repeat to you, there 
being, indeed, nothing more common in Italy,) 
but my design was only to give you a more dis- 
tinct idea of this thing, when you shall chance to 
hear any discourse concerning these Italian feasts* 
I have lived seven years in that country, and in 
in all that time, never did a week pass over my 
head, in which I was not present at some or other 
of them ; wherefore I have reason to be able to 
speak with good ground concerning them. I shall 
only add one thing, which may well make the Ro- 
man Catholics blush, viz. : that it is at these sorts 
of feasts, that young women are debauched and 
corrupted. 

There are bawds, who (by their emissaries) ac- 
quaint them with the places where any of these 
feasts are to be kept, whereupon they never fail 
to resort thither in troops, very lasciviously dress- 
ed : and as for other women and maidens, as the 
only pretext they can have to oblige their parents 
or husbands to let them go abroad, is that of go- 



OF FESTIVALS, $c. Ill 

ing* to church ; they continually sigh and long 
for these sorts of feasts, to have so fair an oppor- 
tunity to go abroad and divert themselves. It is 
at these feasts, I say, that meetings are appointed, 
and notes secretly conveyed; here it is they learn 
to make love with their eyes, and to discourse with 
one another by gests and signs; and in a word, 
here it is, O shame ! that their lewd and infamous 
bargains are made. Neither do I assert aught 
in all this, but what is fully confirmed by their 
own proverb ; which tells us, Chimanda la sua 
figliuola ad ogni festy 9 in puoco tempo ne fa 
una puttana; that he who sends his daughter to 
every feast, will make her a ichore in a short 
time. The young and married women set them- 
selves on each side of the church, and the gentle- 
men walk in the midst, whereby they have an op- 
portunity to look them in the face. They push 
one another, they laugh, they talk aloud, and 
entertain one another with discourses, very un- 
becoming the sacredness of the place where they 
are. The Holy Sacrament, which they believe to 
be the true living body of our Saviour Jesus 
Christ, is for the most part exposed upon the 
high altar, or in some particular chapel, to make 
the solemnity the greater; but they have so little 
respect for it, that they turn their backs upon if, 
to face the ladies and musicians. Whence it is 
evident, that they do very slightly, if at all, be- 
lieve that main point of their doctrine, or at least, 
that their practice gives their faith the lie. The 
priests reap a considerable advantage from these 
feasts; for all the ceremonies they officiate, and 
the masses they say, are dearly paid them, and 
they are highly feasted into the barg-am. 

But more particularly, we meet with these kind 
of feasts very frequent in convents and monas- 
teries; the religious whereof, maybe distinguish- 
ed into three sorts, either such are endowed with 

means 



178 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

means for their subsistance, as generally all those 
called Monks are ; or else they live partly on their 
incomes, and partly on alius, as are all those 
who are called Frail, or Friars ; or lastly, they 
are such who live wholly upon alms, as the ca- 
puchins, and other mendicant orders. Now each 
of these are very ambitious, and do their utmost 
endeavours to have these feasts made in their 
churches. The monks desire it, to make a shew 
of their riches and grandeur : the whole ceremo- 
ny is carried on their own charges, and the feast 
they make, is called a Pontifical, and is, indeed, 
the most pompous and magnificent show that can 
be seen. 

I will endeavour to give you here the most 
exact description of it that possibly I can* To 
this purpose I will take for my subject one of those 
I saw in the famous abbey of S. Michael in Bos~ 
co of Bononia, where I taught for two years to- 
gether; the monks thereof are of the Order of 
Mount Olivet. The abbot is not commendatory, 
but regular, and has the power of officiating pon- 
tifically. He caused his pontifical to be published 
in Bononia, three weeks before the feast of S.Ber- 
nard, founder ot their order, which happened to 
be on a Thursday : and accordingly the first even- 
song began on Wednesday, in the evening. The 
church of this abbey is a mere jewel of a thing, 
for the extraordinary curiosity of the marble, jas- 
per, and porphyry stones, that do in part com- 
pose and embellish it; the gilding* and painting 
that adorn it, are of an inestimable price ; the 
roof and all the walls of the church are gilt ; 
the high altar, as well as the other lesser ones of 
the chapels, are all of precious stones. All the 
seats of the choir are of inlaid work, wherein the 
whole life of $• Bennet, and many histories of the 
Bible are represented ; the ballisters of iron that 
shut tin* choir and chapels, are all gilt, and very 

delicately 



- OF FESTIVALS, $c. 179 

delicately wrought; the pavement is of black and 
white marble, insomuch that there is not the least 
part in the whole church, that stands in need of 
any superadded ornament. 

Yet, notwithstanding all this, the abbot sent for 
the most dexterous adorners of churches to set it 
forth with silken machines of Bonema, with which 
all the windows and walls of the church were 
filled, affording' various historical representations, 
though to speak the truth, this was a very need- 
less cost, because what was hid by these silken 
figures, was more curious and costly, than the fi- 
gures themselves. He ordered arms of silver to 
be fixed round the church, and candlesticks of 
same, to be placed on all the cornices and 
pillars of the church, to support a prodigious 
number of white wax candles, which were to burn 
all the time of the service. The high altar was 
set as thick as it could hold with plate, brought 
out of the treasury of that abbey, to make a 
shew of it to all men. About three of the clock 
in the afternoon, the abbot, accompanied with all 
his monks, and many gentlemen of his relations 
and friends following him, marched forwards to- 
wards the church. He was apparelled in the ha- 
bit of his order, being' distinguished from the 
rest of the monks by his ring*, his hood, and his 
cap. The monks of this abbey, are wont to en- 
ter into the church by the gate of the cloister 
which is near the choir; but for the more state, 
and to make a greater shew of their abbot in his 
pomp and majesty, they chose this time to come 
out of the monastery, and to make a round, in 
order to their entering the church by the great 
gate, at the west-end of it. As soon as they en- 
tered, the bells, organs, and other musical in- 
struments, sounded a march; and as for the 
monks, they gave forth such an air in their go- 
ing, as discovered rather the vanity of their hearts, 

than 



180 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

than that majesty which becomes the ministers at 
the altar. 

When they were come to the church, the ab- 
bot made a halt before the chapel of S. Bernard, 
which is at the lower end of the church, and 
kneeled down upon cushions of violet coloured 
velvet, very richly embroidered, which were laid 
upon a desk, covered with a carpet of the same, 
garnished with rich golden fringe. And at the 
same time the musicians sung' an anthem in praise 
of that saint. After this the abbot was conducted 
to his throne, which they had erected at the right 
♦side of the altar. It was covered on high with a 
magnificent canopy of state, and surrounded with 
several seats, very richly adorned, for nil the of- 
ficers that were to officiate at the pontifical. Be- 
ing arrived here, he seated himself, having* two 
abbots of his friends on each side of him. and 
immediately fourteen of his monks, in their sur- 
plices, went and took the ornaments that were 
laid on tables placed near the high altar, where- 
wilh he was to be invested; and having each of 
them taken what belonged to their place, they 
ranged themselves one behind another, making a 
long row. The first of them carried in a large 
silver gilt charger the abbatical-buskins ; the se- 
cond in another like charger, the abbatical-shoes 
of violet coloured velvet, richly embroidered ; a 
third carried the coif, a fourth the rochet; which 
as also the coif] was of most fine linen, laced 
round about, and at the hands, with a very cu- 
rious point de Venice of a foot deep ; the fifth, 
followed with a very costly girdle, of white silk, 
woven and wrought to admiration; the sixth, car- 
ried the stole; the seventh and eighth, each of 
them a tunicle of white tafifety ; the ninth, the 
cap, which, like the stole, was of cloth of gold, 
the edges of it being raised by embroidery into 
several curious figures, composed of seed-pearls, 



OF FESTIVALS, 181. 

sncl fuvnislied with golden clasps ; the tenth, car- 
ried the little cross of diamonds, valued at two 
thousand crowns ; the eleventh, in a great charger 
gilt and enamelled, carried the ahhatical-g loves / 
and the twelfth, the abbatical-ring, being an ame* 
thist of extraordinary size ; the thirteenth, follow- 
ed with the mitre, thick set with pearls and pre- 
cious stones; and the fourteenth and last, carried 
the crosier or pastoral-staff. Every one of these 
in order, as they drew near to the abbot, seated 
on his throne, bowed the knee before him; and 
after they had delivered their several charges 
into the hands of the assistant abbots, who were 
to attire their prelate, having first worshipped 
him with another genuflexion, retired again in 
good order. At every ornament that was put 
upon him, there were particular prayers which 
the assisting abbots repeated, and the officiating* 
prelate read himself in the Pontifical Book, which 
was supported by two monks, and two others 
in their surplices and tunicles, held wax candles 
to light him, whilst the master of the ceremonies 
turned the leaves for him. 

The abbot being accoutred with all these or- 
naments, and having the mitre on his head, seat- 
ed himself on his throne in the midst of the two 
abbots assistants, and immediately all the officers 
who were to officiate at the ceremony, ranged 
themselves near to him. These officers were four 
chaunters in their rochets and hoods, four sub- 
chaunters in their surplices, two deacons in their 
stoles mxdtunicles,two sub-deacons in their tqinicifes, 
two taper -bearers, to hold the candlesticks, and 
two incense bearers dressed in surplices and their 
silver censers in their hands ; besides another offi- 
cer to hold the crosier-staff, and the master of 
the ceremonies with his rod or wand. All these 
were only to officiate till about the middle of even- 
song, at which time, as if they had been extreme- 
ly ]y 



182 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

ly tired with the attendance they had given, they 
were relieved by others yet more gorgeously ap- 
parelled, who were to officiate till the service 
was ended. Their music was very numerous and 
choice ; the abbot sung- the first verse of even- 
song*, which was continued by the music and 
singing- men with abundance of ceremonies, which 
I shall not insist upon at present, that which I 
have already delivered being* sufficient to give 
you an idea of that extraordinary majesty and 
external pomp, wherewith the feasts are solemn- 
ized in the churches of Italy. For in case it be 
a bishop or archbishop that officiates, the magni- 
ficence is much greater ; and if it be a cardinal 
or pope that celebrates the feast, these ceremonies 
are carried to the highest point of elevation and 
grandeur imaginable. 

I remember to have read somewhere in an Eng- 
lish. Protestant author, the commendation- and felon 
gies he bestows upon those of the Komish commu- 
nion, in this point of ceremonies, s&yitig, That in 
this only the;/ are praise-worthy and to be com- 
mended, that they spare nothing that may eon- 
tribute to the costliness and solemnity of their 
feasts. For my part, I have very industriously 
applied myself to search out the principle froiii 
whence so much false lustre doth proceed* jfrhich 
they make use of in the Church of Home, to dak- 
zie the eves of the inconsiderate and utithittkffrg- 
people, and I have found that it is not their great 
zeal for the house of God, that is the motive of 
it, but only interest, vain glory and self-love, as I 
abundantly discovered upon this occasion. 

The even song ended about six of the clock in 
the evening; after which the abbot and his offi- 
cers, having put off their ornaments, went into 
the seztry, where they found great tables covered 
and thick set with dry and wet confects, neat's- 
torv nes, Bononia sausages, and fine pastry-meat. 

All 



OF FESTIVALS, $c. 183 

All the ladies and gentlemen of quality that were 
in the church, were desired to enter: and as for 
myself, having a free access to that abbey, as 
being- in a manner one of the family, because I 
publicly taught there the liberal arts, and had a 
good allowance, besides the abbot's table. I en- 
tered into the sextry with them, and had more* 
over the privilege of bringing some Frenchmen 
of my acquaintance in with me, which are now in 
London. The gentlemen and ladies were not 
wanting to bestow great encomiums on the abbot, 
each declaring' how admirably well his pontifical 
habit did become him, and how gracefully he 
did officiate. In the mean time, the monks ap- 
plied themselves to the ladies of their acquaint- 
ance, and entered into close discourse with them, 
but what it was, I could not be witness to; only 
thus much I can aver, that their beauty had so 
far charmed them, that for a whole month after 
it was the great subject of their discourse. It 
seems they had so well studied them, during the 
converse they had with them, that they could 
give an exact account of the clothes, ribbands, 
and laces they had on. 

The abbot, during the entertainment, addressed 
himself to two ladies of quality, the one a lady 
marquiss, and the other a countess; and demand- 
ed of them, whether they had not found a desire 
stirring in thein, to persuade some of their chil- 
dren to become religious of his Order ? the lady 
marquiss answered, she tvould consider of it. But 
the countess very frankly assured him, That 
she had been so extremely satisfied icith the pon- 
tifical, which had been celebrated with so much 
pomp and majesty, that it had even ravished her; 
and that she icas absolutely resolved, her son 
should take the habit of the order. She told the 
abbot, That the Jesuits did their utmost endea- 
vours, to draio him over to them; but that she 

M 2 would 



181 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

would be sure to break all their measures, and 
hoped that her son would behave himself so id ell 
in the monastery, that one day she might have 
the joy and comfort to see him made abbot of the 
order, and pontifically officiating. 

All our good natured monks, in the mean time, 
notwithstanding all the pains they had taken in 
assisting- at the church ceremonies, were very 
ready to wait upon the fair ladies at table, and 
to keep them company, as being in this regard 
a thousand fold more happy than other Italian 
laymen, who have not the privilege of making 
feasts to get sight of their ladies, and who can 
scarcely ever meet with an opportunity of ren- 
dering them the like services. I cannot deny, 
but that some of these ladies were of kin to 
them; but however, it must needs be a great sa- 
tisfaction to have an occasion of treating them 
so splendidly out of the public stock of the ab- 
bey, which cannot be done, but in those sorts 
of ceremonies; for at anytime, if they desire to 
do it, it must cost them a round sum of money. 
The ladies, in the mean while, were in so good 
humour, and so extraordinarily well pleased, as 
well with their entertainment in the church as in 
*he sextry, that they very freely asked the ab- 
bot, when they might expect to come to ano- 
ther pontifical ? who promised them to celebrate 
another on the day of S. Francis of Rome. 

It is impossible, Sir, you should not take no- 
tice in ail this I have related to you concerning 
the solemnity of this feast, what indeed were 
the true motives of it. The abbot hereby pleas-? 
ed his vain-glorious humour, by appearing in a 
pontifical dress, with so many pompous orna- 
ments, amidst so many adorations and so many 
incensings,' as were presented to him. Bosides 
this, he" made also his advantage of it ; for 
from hence he took occasion to solicit persons 

of 



OF FESTIVALS, $c 186 

of quality, after he had dazzled their eyes with 
the magnificent splendour of his pontifical, to 
persuade their children to take the habit of the 
order. I know very well how gainful it is to the 
abbot and other principal officers of the abbey, 
when the children of persons of quality, take 
upon them the habit. They never admit them 
to the profession, till their parents have presented 
them very liberally, besides, the annual pension 
they are bound to allow their son; and the more 
honourable the persons are, the more consider- 
able still are the presents that are made them. 
The rest of their religious find their pleasure 
and satisfaction in these festivals ; their eyes are 
feasted with the sumptuous adorning of their 
churches, and their ears with the sweetness of 
the most choice and exquisite music ; neither is 
the feast that concludes the solemnity, and the 
ladies company, the least charm to make them 
desirable ; so that, in a word, the glory of God, 
and the zeal of his holy temple, are at the best, 
and to speak most favourably, but the more re- 
mote object of these pompous solemnities. 

I have already told you in one of my Letters, 
that I feared to pass for a severe censor in your 
judgment, who takes pleasure to put a rigorous 
sense upon actions, otherwise capable of a fa- 
vourable interpretation; and for this reason, I al- 
ways back what I say with the reasons that in- 
duce me to pass these sorts of judgments; and I 
question not, in the least, but that if you will 
be pleased well to weigh them, you will find 
that I have used abundance of moderation in my 
expressions. To apply this therefore to the pre- 
sent subject, I shall proceed to tell you, that the 
festival of S. Francis of Rome approaching, on 
which day the abbot had promised the ladies an- 
other 'pontifical, preparations were made for greater 
pomp aud splendour., than before had been at the 

R 3 feast 



186 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

feast of S. Bernard. They had sent for musi- 
cians from Florence and Venice, who, two days 
before the feast were arrived at the abbey, where 
they were very splendidly entertained. The even- 
ing before the abbot and the monks prayed 
heartily for fair weather, and the air being at 
that time very clear and serene, there was all the 
appearance imaginable that it would continue so, 
which hopes tilled them with unutterable joy?. 
There was only one good old convent friar amongst 
them, who being better informed than all this, fay 
the twitches his corn gave him, very peremptorily 
avered, it would rain the next day. Upon this 
ominous intimation, the abbot himself went out 
after supper, to star-gaze what weather they were 
like to have the next day : and seeing the sky so 
very clear and full of stars, declared there was no 
need to fear, but they should have a fair day of 
it, and that the old friar was a iurbajesias, a 
meer trouble feast, to talk so at random. Upon 
this assurance the monks retired to their apart- 
.merits that evening with a great deal of jo v. 
But forasmuch as it is not for men to know 
the times and seasons, which God has re- 
served in his own power, about midnight the 
weather changed, and the next morning there fell 
so furious a shower, that it was impossible to 
stir abroad without being wet to the skin. This 
tempestuous weather continued till night, which 
seized the spirits of the poor monks with a strange 
consternation. The next morning they appeared 
all pale-faced, and gave evident proof how great 
a change crossed desires are able to produce m 
the body of man. Some of them openly mur- 
mured against heaven, because that almost every 
year it disturbed or disappointed their feast of S. 
Francis ; others of them retained still some hope 
that the rain might hold up within a few hours ; 
$ut alas? their hopes were all in vain; the hea- 
vens 



OF FESTIVALS, $c, 187 

vens were too resolved, and the storm was so 
far from ceasing and diminishing, that it increased 
more and more. The abbot perceiving there was 
no remedy, sent word to the sexton to shut up the 
ornaments of the Pontifical ; 'however he or- 
dered the music should play, because the mu- 
sicians were present, and that most of them 
were paid before-hand ; but he forbid the great 
rows of wax candles to be lighted, which had 
been disposed of round the church, or to burn 
the incense that had been prepared for the 
altars : so that, excepting only the music, the 
office was very simply and plainly celebrated after 
the ordinary manner. The abbot did not ap- 
pear at it himself, and all this great pomp and 
solemnity vanished in smoke. 

Now I desire you, sir, only to draw a rational and 
obvious consequence from all these proceeding?. 
Can you persuade yourself, that God or the saint 
were the object or motive of all this ado? God 
is immense and infinite, every where present,, 
whether it be fair or foul; and the saint also is 
supposed to be always the same in heaven ; 
how came it to pass then that the solemnity Was 
changed, and put off? but because the gen- 
tlemen and ladies that had been invited, and 
for whose sake the feast was intended, could 
not come; Sub lata causa totlitur effect us ; take 
away the cause, and the effect ceaseth. Or can 
we draw a more just consequence, or more 
proper to stop the mouths of our adversaries of 
the Roman Ccminvnion, who object to us their 
divine service, as celebrated with so inutli pomp 
and magnificence, and who find so much fault 
with the simplicity and modesty of ours ? whe i 
they celebrate their Matlins, or Morning Service, 
on their greatest holidays before day-light, they 
scarcely light two wax-candles on the altar, 
fbecavec, say they, no body frequents them ;) 

■ . whereas 



188 THE FIFTH LETTER, 



whereas in the day- time, when there is abun- 
dance of company, they light a matter of three 
or four hundred. May we not therefore with 
great reason reproach them, that all their pom- 
pous feasts and solemnities are only to satisfy 
their own pleasure, vain-glory and avarice ? 
And that therefore God abhors and abominates 
these their services ; so far are they from being any 
proof of the truth ox their religion. In the 
mean time I must need acknowledge, that this 
is that which deludes many, and is a stone of 
offence to all those, only in matters of religious 
worship, who consider only that which strikes 
the senses. 

I knew a papist in England, that was turned 
protestant many years before, who told me he 
was returning again to Italy, in order to join 
himself again to the Romish Communion ; and 
his reason was, Because forsooth the Divine 
Service teas not solemnized here ivith that so- 
lemnity as it was in his country. I wonder^ 
why by the dint of the same argument he was 
not persuaded to turn Jew, who use more cere- 
monies than the church of Rome ; or rather, 
I am astonished he did not consider with him- 
self, that all these ceremonies and pompous 
vanities being only arbitary things, which de- 
pend only on the will of men, if the protestants 
were inclined that way, might contrive and in- 
stitute such as should be more magnificient 
than those of Rome, and might make their 
bishops to appear every day in as pompous 
ornaments as the pope does on S. Peter's day : 
and if they do not do it, the reason is, Because 
they are well persuaded, that what is most plea- 
sing in the eye of men, is not always most 
acceptable to God, who requires pure and holy 
hearts, and not rich and pompous apparel, and 
to ivhom the fervency of our prayers is far more 

acceptable 



OF FESTIVALS, S?e. feft 

acceptable titan clouds of the sweetest incense. 
Besides, the service and worship of God, as 
it is celebrated in their churches, is not al- 
together destitute of decent ornaments neither : 
the ministers habit are such as distinguished! 
them from all others in their ministry, but yet 
so, as without any things of superstition : there 
is no divine virtue attributed to them, that ren- 
ders the wearers thereof more holy than others: 
whereas, in the church of Rome, should a 
priest celebrate mass without his hood, or Aniict, 
and that wilfully, they hold it to be a mortal 
sin, 

I return now to our feasts ag-ain, and having 
given you an account how the same are cele- 
brated by those monks who live upon their 
incomes ; I shall proceed now to those of other 
religious, who partly live of incomes and partly 
of alms, as well known in Italy by the name of 
Fraii. During my stay at Rome, I went to the Mi- 
nerva, which is a famous convent of the Domini- 
cans, in was on a Saturday, at which time they 
were celebrating a festival in honour of the 
Rosary of the Blessed Virgin. I learned, that 
the heads of that confraternity met every Sa- 
turday, and did every one of them, by turns, 
celebrate the feast of the Rosary at their own 
charges. It is the humour of the Italians, in such 
like cases, to strive for the honour of surpassing- 
one another, and spare no cost, to the end they 
may in magnificence out-vie others ; this is an 
emulation that is natural to them, and which I 
believe cannot with g-ood ground be attributed 
to their virtue; because herein they feed their 
vanity as much as in those sumptuous Cavalcades 
they make, and in which (after the same manner) 
their great aim is to out-do one another. 

These religious, or J rati, have contrived a form 
of feasts for their own tooth ; the monks (as was 

Stild 



190 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

said before) make them at their own charges, and 
to set forth their riches and glory ; but these al- 
ways celebrate them upon other men's purses, audi 
with such caution, as withal to fill their own into 
the bargain. The laws they have established to 
this purpose, are, that whosoever causeth a feast 
to be solemnized, must send, before-hand, a 
sufficient sum of money to defray all the masses 
that the religious of the convent do celebrate 
that day : in the second place, he must be at 
the charge of adorning the chapel, or church 
where the feast is to be kept ; and in the third 
place, he is obliged to send a splendid dinner for 
all the good friars of the convent. Some a- 
mongst them, for this very reason, do very aptly 
call these feasts, the. friars' milch-cows* As for 
those friars which are called mendicants, such as 
the capuchins, and some others, who live wholly 
on alms ; forasmuch as they cannot receive money 
for their masses, there is this difference, that in- 
stead of delivering the money for that purpose 
into their own hands, it is to be paid to him whom 
they call their temporal father, that is a layman, 
who has the disposal of their money for their use, 
and whom they call every month to an account, 
even to the utmost farthing. Their patriarch S. 
Francis, never dreamt of this piece of subtilty, 
and consequently also he has not mWle the least 
mention of it in his rule, or directory; but as for 
these good father*, they have quite out-done him 
in refined wit and invention. They do not think 
it convenient, so wholly to rely upon the divine 
providence, as not to think their own the more 
safe and sure way. What would you have us do ? 
(say they) alas! the times are changed, and 
laymen are not so charitable ?iow, as they were 
in the time of S\ Francis! For my part, I durst 
undertake to prove to their faces, that in case 
they lived with as much frugality as their ancient 

fathers 



OF FESTIVALS, 191 

fathers (who, to speak truth, are of no great an- 
tiquity neither) they would find superstitious 
people enough, to furnish them with a suffici- 
ency, for a sober and penitential diet. But who 
would take delight to incommode themselves, 
to cram a company of lazy lubbers, who do no- 
thing but go about from house to house to fill 
their bellies, especially leading so scandalous a 
life as they do? true it is, that by their cunning 
they have so ordered the matter, that they want 
for nothing: and one of the best inventions they 
have ever yet found out, to be sumptuously and 
delicately treated, is their feasts. 

And forasmuch as a regular feast, I mean those 
that are marked in the almanack, are only to be 
found once in the year, they have invented the 
useful contrivance of confraternities, as being 
most fruitful nurseries of feasts, or holidays, for 
them, so as ever to produce many for them in 
one and the same week. A confraternity;, accord- 
ing to the definition they give us of it, is an 
association of many persons, who unite themselves 
and agree together, at certain times, to render some 
religious worship to God, to the virgin, or to some 
other saint, hi such a manner as is not common to 
all: but at the bottom, it is indeed nothingelse, but 
the most sure and refined art the church of Rome 
lias to catch money ; and they have always some 
good crafty father or ether, that has the trade of 
drawing* in people at his fingers end, who is the 
director of it: it is to him all those that desire 
to be admitted to the confraternity must address 
themselves, where (for writing down his name in 
the book, and for entrance- money) it costs him a 
crown at least; and every year at the same day, he 
must come to have his name renewed, and pay 
over the same entrance-money as at his first 
admittance, otherwise, you are, without mercy, 
ignominiously expelled the confraternity, and 

from 



192 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

from tliat time forwards are excluded from hav- 
ing any share in their prayers, or partaking of 
their indulgences. Over and above all this, there 
is some money to be paid every month, towards 
the lights of the chapel where the confraternity 
is erected : which considering the vast number of 
those who are enrolled in it, produceth a prodi- 
gious sum of money. 

The least confraternities that are, consist of 
three or four hundred persons ; there are some 
have a thousand, yea, two or three thousand be- 
longing to them. I have myself seen above twenty 
thousand names enrolled in the book of the 
confraternity of the scapular y of the Carmelites of 
Milan ; and in that of the great confraternity of 
the rosary of S. Jchn, and S. Paul of Venice, I 
have been certainly informed there are above forty 
thousand brothers: suppose every one of the 
brethren should only give a penny every month 
towards the chapel-lights, it would be impossible 
to burn all the wax-candles that money would 
buy ; w hich by consequence turns to the profit 
of these good friars. They are continually han- 
kering- about the richest persons of their confra- 
ternity, endeavouring to persuade them to make 
feasts in honour of the he or she saints in whose 
name their confraternity is erected. 

I happened once to be in company of an Italian 
count, who was of the confraternity of the Utile 
Scapulary of the Virgin* erected in the great 
convent of the Carmelites at Rome, at the time 
when the father director of the confraternity, 
came in to him, and told him with a smiling coun- 
tenance, Conie Giovanni, I have a great com- 
plaint against you, from one of your very good she 
friends. The Count supposing it to be from 
one of his mistresses, asked him who it w as ? the 
director answered, That it icas from the Blessed 
Virgin, and that he had no reason to doubt, but 

that 



OF FESTIVALS, &c. 19$ 

that she teas very angry with him, for having 
for so long a time neglected, to cause the feast 
of the Holy Scapnlary to be celebrated. The 
Count excused himself upon the account of 
some extraordinary business, that had put it 
out of his thoughts ; and desired the director 
to send him in next week the list of their 
religious. When he was departed, the Count told 
me, that what he had told him implied as much 
as that he would make the feast of the scapnlary 
the next week ; because on the like occasion it is 
customary to send in as many couples of capons 
and bottles of wine, as there are religious in the 
convent, besides money to pay for the masses that 
are to be said that day : so that his demanding' a 
list of the director, was a full intimation that he 
had granted his suit ; and accordingly he took 
his leave very well satisfied, saying, he would take 
care to pacify his she friend. The Count told 
me afterwards, that this feast would cost him a 
round sum ; because commonly the note of the 
director of the confraternity amounted very high, 
as well for the lights as for the musicians and 
adorn ers of the church. 

And in order to the multiplication of these 
feasts, they have pitched upon one day of the week, 
for the assembling or meeting together of their 
confraternities; that of the rosary meets every 
Saturday ; of the little scapnlary on Thursdays, 
as likewise that of the holy sacraments ; the 
confraternity of S. Francis's cord on Fridays; 
that of the annunciation on Wednesdays ; that of 
S. Antonio on Tuesdays ; and lastly, Mondays are 
peculiarly appropriated to the confraternities of 
the souls in Purgatory. So that you see, they 
are fairly provided with feasts for every day of 
the week, and that without counting several other: 
particular confraternities, the number whereof is 
unknown to me, these which I have mentioned 

S being 



194 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

being only the more general. They are not in- 
deed all of them to be met with in one church, nor 
in one and the same order of religious ; for the 
rosary belongs to the Dominicans ; the little 
scapulary to the Carmelites ; the cord of S. 
Francis to the Franciscans ; the annuciation to 
the Soccolanti ; S. Anthony of Padua appertains 
in general to all the religious that live under the 
rule of S. Francis; and the Souls in Purgatory 
do not only belong to all the religious orders, but 
also to all parishes and churches under the inspec- 
tion of secular priests. 

After all this, it cannot be denied but that 
those of the Roman communion are certainly 
fallen in love with their own blindness, in that 
they will not so much as take the pains to open 
their eyes, to see how miserably these fellows gull 
and cheat them : for what can be imagined more 
ridiculous than all these sorts of confraternities? 
because S. Francis forsooth wore a cord or rope 
instead of a girdle, they have erected a confrater- 
nity in honour of it ; accordingly every brother of 
the society must wear a small cord : these small 
cords or bands, do not in the least resemble that 
which S. Francis wore, which I have seen at 
Assize, and is as thick as some of the greatest 
ropes that wind up buckets in a well ; but these 
are very delicately wrought, and artificially knot- 
ted in several places. The custom is to bless them 
publicly, with many ceremonies and prayers; which 
being performed, they tell us, they have the 
virtue to blot out all venial sins ; to drive away 
the devil, and, troublesome temptations of the 
flesh. Most of the ladies of Italy wear this 
cord of S. Francis ; they tie them round about 
their bodies, and the ends of them reach to the bot- 
tom of their petticoats ; they are full of pretty 
little knots, and they serve them to play with- 
al, as the English ladies do with their fans. 

Were 



OF FESTIVALS, S?c. 196 

Were it true indeed, that these cords had the pow- 
er of repressing carnal temptations, the ladies of 
Italy, who wear such lovely ones, could not fail 
of being the chastest women in the world ; and 
yet I am sure this is not the commendation that 
is given them. But be it as it will, this cord is 
a thing so extraordinary holy, that great feasts are 
celebrated in honour of it every week, in all the 
churches belonging to the Franciscans ; and the 
popes have been pleased to bestow great indul- 
gences to all those who shall enroll themselves in 
this society of the cord. They are only the poor 
protestants that do not enjoy all these fair advan- 
tages, because they look upon them as no better 
than meer folly ; and for my part, I believe they 
have very good reason for being of this opinion ; 
and that the surest and safest way is, to believe 
with them. That the only thing that can make irs 
of proof against all temptations, and endue us with, 
the power to overcome sin, is the grace of God 9 
and that by means of it alone, we shall become 
conquerors over the devil, the flesh, and the icofl/f f 
without the assistance of either rope or cord. 

The confraternity of the rosary is no less super- 
stitiously founded than the foregoing. Since the 
salutation of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin, has 
passed in the church of Rome for the most holy 
prayer that can be made to her, the father Domi- 
?ucans, who pretend to be the greatest favorites 
of the holy Virgin, to the end they might have 
some particular devotion to distinguish them from 
the common, have invented that which is now 
called the rosary, which is nothing else but an 
aggregation of several Ave Maries; there are 
ten times ten of them in the rosary, and 
at the end of each ten they add the Lord's prayer. 
And to the end they might not fail of saying the 
just number (for in case that only one Ave Mary 
should chance to be omitted, it would be the loss 

S2 of 



196 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

of the whole indulgence) they have brought into 
use their paternosters, or beads, by which they 
count the prayers as they say them, that there 
may be no mistake. And as it is the belief of the 
church of Rome, that the elements and material 
subjects of the sacraments, are not only signs, but 
physical instrumental causes, producing grace in 
the soul ; for they say, that the water in baptism, 
the oil in the extreme unction, and the matter 
presented in the collation of orders, do physically 
produce grace in the soul ; so in like manner 
the popes have affixed to these beads of wood, 
glass, or any other matter, the graces and privi- 
leges that belong to the rosary. So that if a 
person should repeat all the prayers ordered and 
established for the rosary, without having one of 
these paternosters ; yea, though (to be exact in his 
tale) he should count them on his buttons, or 
Jingers, yet would he not thereby obtain the indul- 
gence ; no, by no means, there must be paternosters 
in the case, as being the instrumental causes of 
producing grace in the soul. There are scarcely 
any Italians but have these paternosters about 
them, either in in their pockets, or hanging about 
their necks, between their shirt and doublets. 
The ladies carry them on their arms, and they 
have nowadays made an ornamental bravery of it, 
not inferior to their necklaces and bracelets of 
pearls and diamonds. They sometimes go 
abroad without a fan, but never without their 
bends. The most common, for women of a 
mean condition, are of coral or amber ; but the 
ladies of quality have them of precious stones, or 
of odoriferous pastes, adorned with the most curi- 
ous ribbons, and garnished with abundance of 
gold and silver medals. The greatest prostitutes 
would be ashamed to go abroad without their 
great paternosters on their arms, which hang down 
to their feet ; not that their devotion is so great 



OF FESTIVALS, S?c. 197 

in running' of them over, but meerly because it is 
customary, and a kind of necessary implement for 
them to trifle with, which they cannot well be 
without. Neither do they make any difficulty to 
ask of their lovers a paternoster for the price of 
their infamous commerce. 

The little scaptilary, or habit of the Virgin, is a 
piece of the same worth and value, and belongs to 
these Carmelites; for it is their own habit to 
which they make people pay so great respect, and 
so many adorations. These fathers were originally 
hermits, who had their place of retirement on 
CarmeL They pretend, that the blessed Virgin 
appeared to them there, and gave them the form 
of the habit they were to wear, which is a vest and 
a scapvlary of a brown colour, and a great ichite 
hood; mid that she told them at the same time, 
That all those who wear that habit, should be 
blessed by her, and her sort, Jesus Christ, and 
should never die hi am/ mortal sin. Now for- 
asmuch as it is not possible to persuade all the 
world to become Carmelites, that so they might 
enjoy the privileges of this miraculous habit, they 
have found out a way to cut their old habits into 
a little square piece of the bigness of four or five 
fingers' breadth, which they (for the money) 
bestow upon laymen, to wear about them. They 
have persons on purpose, standing at the doors of 
their churches, who sell them for four-pence or 
five-pence a piece. Certainly, this is the best im- 
provement of old clothes that ever was thought 
of; and the most excellent invention never to want 
new ones, and to be always well clad, that could 
possibly be imagined. And indeed, I scarcely 
remember ever to have seen any Carmelites, that 
were not very well accoutered, and that with new 
clothes too. True it is, there are some of those to be 
sold, that are very curiously wrought over with 
silk, for those, who not contenting themselves 

S 3 with 



198 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

with these foolish demotions, must needs have'them 
set forth with abundance of vanity ; but however 
the ground of them must be always a shred of a 
Carmelite's old frock. They have instituted several 
confraternities in honour of this holy habit ; they 
celebrate great feasts every week, with almost 
exquisite music, and have particular masses said in 
reverence and respect to this habit. As for this 
little scapnlary, as well as the rosary, S. Francis's 
cord, blest pastes and medals of our lady of Loretto, 
it is still one and the same song; it, as all the rest, 
forg'ives venial sins, prevents ones dying in mortal 
sin, and procures a speedy deliverance from the 
flames of Purgatory. I desire you, Sir, to repre- 
sent to yourself a poor Roman Catholic with all 
this gear and harness about him, one of the little 
scapularies on his back, S. Francis's rope about 
his waist, a rosary, or great paternoster in his 
hand ; abundance of medals and blest pastes, 
Images, written prayers, and saints 9 bones about 
his neck, upon his breast, or in his pockets, who 
is cock-sure, that by means of these he shall not 
only escape hell, but also the scorching fames of 
Purgatory. What think you ? have we not all the 
reason of the world, to write about his head in 
great characters, error et superstitio ? On the 
other hand, set before your eyes a good Protestant, 
who neglecting all these things, wholly applies 
himself to live well, placing all his hope and 
confidence in God alone, and the merits of his 
saviour Jesus Christ ; and then tell me sincerely, 
and without bias, which of both has more reason 
of his side, and better ground for what he does. 
And yet this error and superstition is so deeply 
rooted in the minds of the Papists, that there is 
scarcely any way left to disabuse and unhood-wink 
them, so fatally have their priests and monks 
enchanted them. 
I knew in Germany, a German captain, who 

had 



OF FESTIVALS, $c 199 

had no great faith in all these confraternities* and 
contrived devotions ; 1 tabled at his house in the 
city of Mentz ; whenever there happened to be 
any discourse concerning them, he always disco- 
vered his aversion to them, and declared with 
abundance of reason, that they were only the 
effect of priest and monk-craft to get money ; and 
that he believed, God would most severely punish 
them for it in the other world, as well as those 
who suffer themselve to be abused by such follies. 
This captain, some time after, fell into a con- 
sumption, and about three or four hours before his 
death, I was with him in his chamber; and 
forasmuch as he had still the free use of his senses 
and speerb, he discoursed concerning the things 
of eternal life ; and (as a good father) exhorted 
his children, which stood about his bed, to an 
honest and truly christian life. Whilst he was 
thus employed, in comes a father Dominican, who 
had been sent for by the mistress of the house : 
he was the director of the confraternity of the 
rosary, with a great paternoster in his hand, and 
drawing near to the dying man, he exhorted him 
to enroll himself in the confraternity before his 
death. The sick man desired him uot to interrupt 
the exhortation he was giving to his children, 
which might be far more profit to them than his 
rosary ; the words of a dying father to his chil- 
dren remain commonly impressed on their minds 
as long as they live. The Dominican giving little 
heed to all this, obstinately prosecuted his design, 
repealing continually to him, that should he come 
to die without enrolling his name in the confrater- 
nity, he would lie a tedious while in Purgatory, 
and that there he would have time enough, and to 
spare, to repent him at leisure. The sick man 
told him, if you believe it to be so good and saving 
a thing for my soul, why do not you set down my 
name of your own accord! But the father not 

finding 



200' THE FIFTH LETTER, 



finding* his account in this, continued to affright 
and terrify the patient; who at last being* seared 
by the horrid representations he had made him, 
cried out to his wife,, pray give him a crown, and 
let him write down my name.- Whereupon the 
father after he had given him a paternoster, went 
his way, and as he was going out of doors, fold 
his wife, That in case he had not happily come to 
her husband, he ivouid have died like a dog* 
The good father having obtained his end, came 
no more to look after him ; and this poor gen- 
tleman died about three or four hours after, with 
his great bead-row about his neck. I confess, I 
should have been extremely surprized to see,, 
that a man, who had all bis life time witnessed 
so great an aversion for these foppish superstitions, 
should himself at last fall under them a little before 
his death ; I say, I should have been very much 
astonished at it, bad I not myself heard the fright- 
ful discourse wherewith the Dominican entertained 
him, taking* occasion from his weak and dying- 
condition, to impress in his mind all the panic 
terrors of Hell and Purgatory ; for be talked at 
such a dreadful rate to him, as if it were possible 
for him (without giving his consent to be admitted 
of the confraternity, with a crown at the tail of 
it) to be ever saved, but would be sure to be 
damned with all the devils in hell to all eternity. 

See here, Sir, the goodly use is made of these 
confraternities, and what all these affected and 
contrived devotions of the papists do end in. I 
am now entered into so large a field, and have so « 
many true stories to produce on this subject, that 
I should never make an end^ should I once begin 
with them ; and am therefore obliged, that this 
Letter may not swell too big, to pass by them 
in silence. Nevertheless, I think I cannot in 
reason exempt myself from giving you a word of 
information more concerning the society of the 

souls 



OF FESTIVALS, $c. 20T 

souls in Purgatory. This is the most general of 
them all, as belonging* to all churches, and to all 
priests, as well secular as regular : this is their 
true nursing mother; for in Italy the dead 
(which is strange) maintain* the living, and the 
priests and the monks are the ravens and crows, 
that fatten and cram themselves with the carcas- 
ses of the dead. This is that probably which 
inspires them with that inhuman cruelty and bar- 
barity, that makes them desire the death of all men. 

I shall not spend my time here to oppose the 
false opinion of Purgatory, because being a point 
of doctrine, it is no part of the task I have under- 
taken; but shall only acquaint you with the use 
that is made of it in the church of Rome; and how 
dexterously the priests and monks have turned it 
to their great gain and advantage, I cannot but 
own, that person who is persuaded of the existence 
of a Purgatory, and that so dreadful an one as the 
Roman Catholics represent to us, cannot but 
apprehend it is his interest to think seriously of it ; 
and according to this persuasion, I do not think it 
strange, if a papist in his last will appropriates 
some considerable part of his estate for prayers 
and masses to be said for the relief of his soul 
after death, or even bestowing something by way 
of charity, to have them said for others also ; but 
when this is done with indiscretion and excess, 
and to the great prejudice of ones neighbour, this is 
a thing I can in no wise approve of. I know well,, 
that in this point I shall have all the clergy of the 
Roman communion against me ; for they maintain, 
that in this case there can be no indiscretion or 
excess committed, nor any prejudice or hurt done 
to any whatsoever, grounding* themselves on this 
principle (which they extremely mis-construe,) 
That a well ordered charity begins from a mans* 
self; Charitas bene ordinata incipit a seipso. 
So that conform to their hypothesis, a man should 

disinherit 



202 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

disinherit all his children without any other causey 
but the desire he has to bestow all his estate 
upon the priests, that they may pray to God, and 
say masses for his soul after his death, does them 
no injury at all ; afid that they would be ready 
to represent him as a man who did not consult 
with flesh and blood, in a case where the good of 
his own soul lay at stake, and was concerned. 

I shall to this purpose relate to you a matter of 
fact, the rememberance only whereof doth still 
afflict and grieve me, because it proved the ruin 
of some persons, whom I was particularly ac- 
quainted with. In a second journey I took to 
Rome, I took a lodging in the house of a very 
honest widow, who was plentifully provided for, 
her husband having left her a good estate ; and for- 
asmuch as she had no children, she took two of her 
sisters to live with her, and entertained them very 
charitably. The father Jesuits, who are far better 
acquainted with how many widows there are in 
Rome, than how many chapters there are in the bi- 
ble, had not forgot to set this good woman on their 
list ; neither were they wanting in their diligence 
and application to court her, in hopes to get her 
estate, Her confessors, who probably wanted to 
have her in the other world, ordered her (during 
the greatest he&t of summer) to take a journey to 
Loretto ; which she failed not to perform ; but 
returned very sick to Rome, where the physicans 
soon despaired of her recovery ; whereupon she 
made her last will, whereby she left all her estate 
to her two sisters, except only two hundred livres, 
which she assigned for masses to be said for her 
after her decease. The fathers Jesuits had soon 
- notice of this, and without delay presented them- 
selves before the bed of their dying votary ; they 
forgot nothing which they conceived might 
prevail on her to change her testament. They 
represented to her, that it was the greatest folly 

imaginable 



OF FESTIVALS, £ c. 203 

imaginable to bestow ones goods upon relations, 
who commonly were very unthankful ; that her 
chiefest care ought to be, to procure her own rest 
and happiness in the other world ; that she 
might be sure her sisters would never be at a 
farthing charge to procure prayers for her ; yea, 
so far was it from that, that they had discovered, 
that her sisters fostered a secret and mortal hatred 
against her, and that consequently (by a trick of 
an Italian revenge) they should be glad to leave 
her to swelter a good while in Purgatory. Last 
of all, they told her, that her sisters were too far 
engaged in a worldly spirit, and would probably 
make a very ill use of the estate she should leave 
them ; and that to leave them any money, would 
be no better than trusting a knife iu the hand of 
a child or fool, who might hurt themselves there- 
with: and by this means, said they, she would 
give an occasion to her sisters of offending God, 
and damning* their own souls, and consequently 
would become responsible therefore before God : 
that her sisters could work, and so might honestly 
gain their livelihood with the labour of their 
hands, which at the same time would secure them 
from idleness, which is the mother of all vices. 
All these fair reasons being uttered with all the 
artifice and retoric imaginable, prevailed with 
this poor widow, who a violent fever, and the 
pangs of approaching death, made yet more ap- 
prehensive of the pains of Purgatory ; so that 
without any more ado she revoked her testament, 
and made but one article of it, disposing all she 
had to the house of the father Jesuits of Rome, 
that they might cause prayers and masses to be 
said for her, Thus she died in the midst of four 
Jesuits : and scarcely had they shut her eyes, but 
they turned her sisters out of doors, and possessed 
themselves of all she had. These poor gen- 
tlewomen, with tears in their eyes, desired only 

that 



'204 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

that they would be pleaded to give them some 
of their sister's clothes ; but the Jesuits utterly 
refused it, saying*, that they could not dispose of 
the leant thine/ that belonged to their sister, for 
that all was to be turned into money to pray to 
God for her soul, icho teas now actually burning 
in the fames of Vurgatory : so that they could not 
in concience deprive her of the least ref reshment 
or comfort she had so wisely provided Jor herself 
Thus these poor afHicted young* women were fain 
to leave the house in a most disconsolate condi- 
tion ; and learned since, that one of them died 
in an hospital, and that the other (pressed by 
want) had suffered herself to be debauched, and at 
present lived a lewd and scandalous life in Rome. 

What think your, Sir? is not this an excellent 
use that is made of the doctrine of Purgatory, by 
these wretched and accursed Jesuits? I will 
spend no more time in representing to you the 
deformity and abominableness of the fact, since 
the sole recital of it evidenceth it as clear as the 
sun. 

Now, to bring* this false devotion the more in 
request, and to procure w r ays and means of mul- 
tiplying it, they teach in Italy, that the souls in 
Purgatory are not only succoured and relieved 
by the prayers and masses of the priests, but thf t 
by the same means they become helps and assist- 
ants to others. If we believe them, they assist 
persons upon earth in all their concerns and 
occasions ; if any one hat a suit at law, or is 
engaged in some troublesome business ; or if a 
man be desirous to obtain a place, command or 
dignity, the surest way (say they) in these cases, 
is to have recourse to these suffering souls, and 
to get a number of masses said for them : for then 
by way of gratitude and acknowledgment, they 
take all rubs out of ones way ; they influence the 
spirits of the judges, and procure the favour of 

great 



OF FESTIVALS, §c 205 

great men. If a man be to go a journey, there is 
nothing more common in Italy, than to send him 
away with this good prayer or wish : go, and may 
the Blessed Virgin, $. Anthony of Padua, and 
the souls of Purgatory accompany you every 
where, and deliver yon from all dangers. This is 
so universal, that even the boys that go to the 
Jesuits'' school are taught, that if they would rise 
at the set hour in the morning, they must recom- 
mend themselves to the souls in Purgatory over 
night, before they go to sleep. But pray, what 
appearance is there, that those poor souls who 
cannot help themselves, should be in a condition 
to concern themselves about, and help others? I 
have seen lewd women impudently come into the 
sextry, and to order a company of masses to be 
said for the souls in Purgatory, to recover the 
good-will of some of their lovers, and to get more 
practice; neither indeed are they so much to be 
blamed, for they are no better taught. 

The power of the souls in Purgatory is con- 
ceived to be of that extent, and so general, as to 
believe that by this means they can obtain even 
unlawful things at the hand of God. If it be de- 
manded, who they are that entertain the people in 
this gross ignorance? It is evident that they are 
no other but the priests and monks ; and the 
motive for which they do it, is purely their own 
interest They agree admirably well in the 
doctrine of Purgatory ; but in sharing the money 
that is assigned for the prayers, they are all of 
them together by the ears, and it is neither better 
nor worse, than catch that catch can. 

A noble Venetian, in a company where I hap- 
pened to be present, gave a very pleasant relation 
of the sport he had on this occasion ; he w as 
left executor of a will, and made the guardian 
of a pupil : the lady who was dead, had be- 
queathed a sum of money for two thousand masses* 

T to 



20G THE FIFTH LETTER, 

to be said for her. The monks and priests are 
very diligent to inform themselves, by means of 
their emissaries, when any person of quality dies, 
to the end they may prevent one another if they 
can, and get the masses for themselves. The Je- 
suits, as being- the most crafty of all, had first got 
the scent of it, and before any others, addressed 
themselves to the noble Venetian; and as their 
custom is, they began to enlarge on the subject 
of their own praises, and averred, that there were 
no religious in the church of God, who did cele- 
brate masses with more modesty and devotion than 
themselves ; and that the great zeal they had for 
the speedy deliverance of the deceased party, had 
induced them to come and desire* the discharging 
of the two thousand masses left by her la«;t will. 
They said, it was an open shame to see in what 
manner the other religious and secular priests did 
dispatch their masses with so much hurry and 
precipitation, that a mass did not last above half a 
quarter of an hour, and that without doubt God 
was rather dishonoured, than honoured, by such 
services. The noble Venetian having- heard this 
fair speech, told them, he tvas glad to see the 
great zeal they had for the soul oj his kinswoman, 
though he was not so J idly persuaded of the 
indevotion of all other ecclesiastics, as they 
seemed willing to represent them; that they 
might say masses for the dead as well as others ; 
and thovgh he knew well, that it was not lawful 
for the Jesuits, according -to their constitution, to 
receive the least money for the masses they said; 
yet because he would not seem altogether to reject 
them, he would give them money J or fijty of 
them. The Jesuits being sorely vexed, thus to 
be put by the two thousand masses they had 
already devoured, went away. 

Soon after them the Sacristans or Sextons of 
the father Dominicans, were introduced ; who 

represented, 



OF FESTIVALS, $c. 207 

represented, that they had in their churches of 
Castello, and of S. Giovanni and Paolo, many 
privileged altars (these are altars to which the 
popes have affixed so many Indulgences, that if 
only one mass be said at them for any soul in 
Purgatory, they are infallibly delivered thence) 
they alleged besides, that all the other religious 
make no bones of it, to sing one high mass in- 
stead of many, and which they made to pass for 
an hundred common masses ; but that as for them, 
they scorned any sinister ways, and promised, 
fairly to say them all without the least abatement 
of the tale; and that moreover,, to testify their 
superabundant kindness to the deceased party, 
they would, over and above the number, cause 
several masses to be sung for her on the grand 
privileged altar, in their chapel of the holy rosary. 
The noble Venetian, without taking any great 
notice of their discourse, treated them no better 
than the Jesuits ; and having granted thein only 
some few masses, sent them packing*. 

After them followed a great number of sextons 
of other religious houses, and all for the love of 
these two thousand masses. If a man might 
believe them, they were every one of them more 
holy than their brethren of other orders; all others, 
according- to them, were persons without concience, 
who devoured the money assigned to masses, 
without performing* the obligations they took 
upon them. The Venetian, however, gave to all 
of them a pretty competent number of masses, so 
that of the two thousand, he had only five hundred 
left. 

He sent, in the evening-, one of his servants to 
the place of S. Mark, to inform the secular priests 
(who commonly have their walks there, to ac- 
quaint themselves where they may meet with 
money for their 7nasses) that the next morning his 
master would be there, in order to distribute a 
T 2 number 



208 THE FIFTH LETTER 

number of masses. According to his promise 
the Venetian nobleman repaired thither with five 
hundred notes (this being* the way of giving* 
Masses in Italy ; they give a note, whereupon he 
that hath received, goes and says mass, and enters 
it into the sexton's book, and then returns it to him 
who hath given it him, to receive his money) and 
went up to the Procuracies of S. Mark, which 
are the buildings which surround the place of 8. 
Mark, and there placed himself, throwing down 
these notes amongst them from some of the upper 
windows. There were about three or four hun- 
dred priests below greedily waiting for them; 
who, as soon as they saw the papers fly about, put 
themselves in a posture to catch, each of them, the 
most they could ; they pushed one another, they 
filing one another in the dirt, they beat one another, 
they plucked one another by the hair, and tore 
one another bands and cassocks, whilst a great 
number of people looked on, and laughed at them. 
There can be no better way of representing this 
action, than by fancying to ourselves a crowd of 
common people, or rather of the scum or filth of 
the people, to whom some pieces of money are 
thrown out of the windows, as I saw some persons 
of quality did on the day of the coronation of their 
majesties; for this was a perfect representation 
of the behaviour of the good priests of the Ro* 
man church on this occasion. And seeing many 
in the scuffle had dropped their cloaks and hats, 
some of their companions, more dexterous than 
they, who chose rather to get a cloak, or a hat, 
than a note, took them up, and having slily con- 
veyed them under their own, skulked away with 
two cloaks instead of one. The notes being 
thus distributed, or rather chance and force hav- 
ing- thus disposed of them, these good priests de^ 
parted each of them to their several posts, to say 
their masses. 

Probably 



OF FESTIVALS, $e. 209 

Probably, Sir, you will think very strange of 
this relation of the noble Venetian ; yet I dare 
assure you, you need not question the belief of 
every part of it. The priests and monks do agree 
the best in the world, and are but as one, as long 
as their common interest cements and keeps them 
together; but they are all at daggers-drawing- when 
the least particular interest divides them. And 
as for those priests, who beat one another in the 
place of S. Mark, for to catch the assignation to 
say masses, that is no strange thing- in Italy, I 
myself have seen it with mine own eyes above an 
hundred times : Alas ! they do far worse than this, 
for even while they are in the sextry, invested 
with their sacred otal ornaments, they sometimes 
.fight together for the priority or precedency in 
saying- their masses, and call one another the most 
infamous names imaginable. The Italians in this 
also excuse them with a great deal of favourable- 
ness, or rather with too much indulgence. What 
would you have them do ? (say they) they are a 
company of poor priests, that live by their 
masses, and have nothing else to help themselves 
with ; when that fails them, all fails them : and 
therefore they have great reason to exert their 
utmost activity for the obtaining them. However, 
I am not a little amazed, that the bishops take no 
course to prevent these scandalous disorders, 
and that they ordain so many priests, without 
providing them some benefices. There is nothing 
more scandalous in the clergy, than to see those 
who are the members of it, to be reduced by a 
necessity of subsistence, to base and mean actions, 
and altogether unworthy of their character. This 
disgrace cannot but with a great deal of reason 
reflect upon them • and it is an evident demon- 
stration either of their negligence to remedy 
it, or their want of charity to procure the means 
of it, The most part of these poor priests in Italy 



210 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

live by their masses, or else by filching, when 
masses fail them. They take all they can get, 
even in the churches themselves ; the calices, 
the linen covering of the altar, the wax-candles, 
the books, and in a word, all that comes to hand. 
Wherefore we need make no difficulty to believe 
what this noble Venetian averred, that some in the 
scuffle had stolen the cloaks of their companions. 

Another thing- mentioned in his discourse, and 
whereon I desire you to make some reflection, is 
the great division and enmity of those religious 
who went to demand the masses : they accused 
one another as persons without conscience, and 
false and faithless in discharging the trust they 
took upon them, and for which they were paid. 
What the Jacobite said of the Cordelier, the very 
same the Cordelier said of the Jacobite, and so 
of the rest; and indeed herein they all spoke 
truth. It is a matter of common practice in Ita- 
lif, that when any one sends money to a convent 
for an hundred masses, they content themselves 
with singing one, with the assistance of a dea- 
con and sub-deacon. It is the prior, or guar- 
dian of the college that sings : they call this a 
mass sung, anhiqh mass, a solemn mass ; and they 
maintain that one of these masses, is an equiva- 
lent to many common ones; they call this making 
a reduction. 

But, pray Sir, what can this singing, or these 
ceremonies contribute towards the rendering one 
mass as efficacious as an hundred ? I know a Pro- 
testant may easily solve this difficulty, by sayings 
that one mass is as good as an hundred, and that 
an hundred are of no more value than one ; be- 
cause they are good for nought, whether singly 
or aggregate considered. But you who are a Ro- 
man Catholic, how can you answer this ? If you 
have never so little sincerity, you cannot but own 
that your priests and monks are not only content 



OF FESTIVALS, §c 211 

to satisfy their covetousness, to make use of 
the doctrine of purgatory, to induce laymen to 
lavish their money for the celebrating of masses; 
but, that after all this, they would, by this arti- 
fice of reduction, exempt themselves from the 
trouble of saying them. 

The deceased Pope Innocent the eleventh,- was 
no way favouring this trick of reduction ; for, 
being informed that the Carmalites of Naples 
had celebrated a mass in music, to acquit them- 
selves of all the masses they were obliged to say, 
he sent down a commission, to examine the re- 
gisters and books of the sexton; and upon ex- 
amination, there were found no less than four and 
forty thousand masses, which were not discharg- 
ed. Innocent being acquainted herewith, did not 
believe, that so vast a number of masses could 
ever be satisfied by one mass only, how solemn 
soever it might be. He let them know, that see- 
ing they had received the money, they ought 
to say them first; and because they had not 
priests enough in their convent to celebrate 
them, they must take in some secular priests to 
their assistance. The thing taking wind, being- 
divulged through Naples, many stranger-priests 
went and presented themselves to celebrate some 
of them, and for fifteen days they admitted them; 
within which time they said about four thousand 
masses at several altars; and the fathers paid them 
at the rate of one half of what they had receiv- 
ed for them. At the end of three weeks, some 
priests that I was acquainted with, came and told 
me, that having been to offer themselves, to say 
more masses of them ? they were refused, and 
told, That all the masses were celebrated; though 
indeed it were a thing absolutely impossible for 
so many masses to be said in that compass of 
time : but the truth of the matter was, that they 
were grieved at the heart to squander their mo- 
ney 



212 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

ney thus abroad, and therefore were resolved ra- 
ther to tell a gross lye, than to part with any 
more. They al! edged for their excuse, That they 
had celebrated several masses at their privileged 
altar. This is another stratagem of those priests, 
which is never a whit inferior to that of reduc- 
tion, and against which, the Pope's have nothing 
to alledge; for otherwise they would contradict 
themselves, as to the power they pretend to have 
over the affair of purgatory* 

These privileged altars (as was hinted before) 
are such as be endowed with great indulgences. 
To obtain one of these altars, great sums of money 
must be given; but what care they, as long as 
the bubled multitude refund in an hundred fold. 
A mass celebrated at this sort of altars, on such 
a day of the week, which commonly is Monday, 
doth infallibly deliver a soul out of purgatory, and 
a man who should dare to question this, would 
be looked upon as an heretic, and committed to 
the inquisition, as if he had denied one of the 
fundamentals of Christianity. According now to 
this principle they argue thus; (and indeed, grant- 
ing their supposition, I find their argument strong* 
enough) The Pope, (say they) grants a privilege 
to one of our altars, and declares, that when they 
shall procure a mass to be said there for any soul 
in purgatory, though the most obnoxious that is 
there, it shall in the same moment be delivered 
thence. Noiv, the Pope is infallible in all he 
declares, especially about the concerns of the 
other world; wherefore to draw a conclusion, we 
have money sent ui to celebrate so many hundred 
or thousand masses, to say for such a man or 
woman; what is to be done in this case? Jbrustra 
sit per plura, quod fieri potest per pau^jora : It 
is a folly to go about, when their lies a short cut 
before us ; we will therefore cause one mass to be 
said at our privileged altar, which will infal- 



OF FESTIVALS, 213 

libly deliver the party concerned out of purga- 
tory, and icill trouble ourselves no farther about 
saybig the rest ; forasmuch as they, being only 
in order to procure the same end, would be al- 
together superfluous and unprofitable ; so that 
by this fair way we have ( without the least 
pains taken ) gained a good lump of money, as 
well as without the least discomposure to our 
peace of conscience. This argument was once 
most vigourously enforced against the Jesuits of 
Rome, upon this occasion. 

A rich merchant by his last will had left them 
all his estate, to have so many millions of masses 
said for the deliverance of his soul from purgato- 
ry after his death: his near kinsman, who of 
right was to have been his heir, being made ac- 
quainted with his will, lost no time, but as 
soon as he was dead, went to the Jesuits, and 
gave them money to say a mass at their pri- 
vileged altar, for the soul of the deceased ; he 
himself was present at it, and took an attesta- 
tion in writing of them, that they had said it. 
Having done this, he ordered all the goods of 
his kinsman to be arrested, alledging, that the 
end of the testament being obtained, the goods 
ought to return to their natural channel ; that is 
to say, to the heir at law ; that he could prove, 
that his relation was either in paradise or in hell, 
and that in either of those places, they stood in 
no need of masses. This case was brought to 
the bar, and pleaded with great heat on both 
sides ; the Jesuits being- plaintiffs, and the mer- 
chant the defendant. But, alas ! the case was 
to be determined by an ecclesiastic's court, 
where all the judges were parties, who (had 
they done right) would have condemned what 
themselves do every day : so the suit was car- 
ried in favour of the Jesuits, under pretence, 
forsooth, that the church must always be fa- 
voured* 



214 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

voured. However, it is evident, that right and 
reason were on the merchant's side, and that he 
could not be condemned without injustice. But 
I return to our confraternities. 

There is never a village in Italy, how small 
and inconsiderable soever, which has not a con- 
fraternity for the souls in purgatory, and at the 
least, a score of priests, who live upon it very 
plentiful. Besides, the money they receive for 
their masses, which never fail them, they have a 
sort of people who carry boxes through the 
streets, from house to house, begging of all 
those they meet with, with a great deal of im- 
portunity, some money for the souls in purga- 
tory; which money the priests afterwards share 
amongst themselves. In many places of Italy, 
especially in the great cities, in order to their 
having a fixed and settled income, they let to 
farm this purgatory-money, to some layman or 
other, as I have seen at Milan, in that famous 
confraternity of the souls in purgatory, establish- 
ed in the church of S. John de Casa Ratta. The 
farmer here pays four thousand crowns every 
year to the priests of that church, and makes 
his profit of the rest : he maintains for this end^ 
forty box-carriers, who are clothed in white, and 
wear upon their short white cloaks, the arms of 
the confraternity, to distinguish them. They 
have each of them a shilling per day allowed them, 
and their business is to run through all the 
streets of the city, and beg money for the souls 
in purgatory* These box-carriers are picked 
men, very cunning and skilful at their trade of 
begging. Sometimes they are so importunate 
and impertinent, that they follow a man the 
length of two or three streets, without quitting* 
him, to force him by their importunity to give 
them something. Neither is it without danger 
to give them any rude or churlish answer ; f6r 



OF FESTIVALS, $c. 215 

in that case, they have the malice to tell you 
to your face, That they see well enough that 
you have no consideration for the souls in pur- 
gatory. And should you continue to revile them, 
might probably get you recommended to the In- 
quisition, to learn more manners. The farmer 
of the souls in purgatory, has the keys of all 
these boxes, and they are bound once or twice 
a week to bring them in to him. When at any 
time they bring them full, and well lined, he 
ives them something over and above their or- 
inary pay, to encourage them to perform the 
quest with so much the more application and 
dexterity. He takes care to place some of his 
boxes in all inns, ordinaries, taverns, victualling 
houses, and other public places. Those who 
have travelled Italy, know, that the host doth 
commonly, at the end of every meal, bring in 
his box for the souls in purgatory, and desire 
his guests to put in their charity. At the time 
of harvest and vintage, the farmer sends some 
of his emissaries into the field, to carry on the 
quest there for the said souls ; they have great 
waggons with them, and beg some portion of 
what is gathered, in corn, wine, wood, rice, 
hemp, even to the very eggs and hens. Which 
done, they either spend what they have got 
themselves, or else sell it and turn it to money. 

Now the poor country people being extremely 
simple vnd ignorant, and the persons employed 
to receive their charity, being very subtil and 
crafty, make them believe what they please 
themselves, and abuse them extremely* I over- 
heard once a poor country woman, who gave 
some hemp to some of these crafty collectors, 
saying, She teas very sorry she could not give 
them enough to make a great shift of; but one 
of the questmen told her, That they would take 
eare to make a little shift of it, for some small 

soul 



216 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

soul in purgatory. They turned their heads, and 
laughed at the simplicity of this poor woman; 
but not one of them had the charity to inform her 
better. 

Ignorance in the Church of Rome, passeth for 
simplicity, and it is to this, ignorant simplicity, 
or simple ignorance, that they attribute that 
blessing of the gospel, Blessed are the pure in 
spirit. Whereas, it seems to me, that this po- 
verty of spirit, is to be understood of a simpli- 
city equally devoid of malice and ignorance, 
and of a candid and open spirit, without any 
foldings or deceit, or else of those, who hav- 
ing their hearts set loose from the desire of the 
riches of this world, are the true lovers of e~ 
vangelical poverty. But to speak truth, the rea- 
son hereof is, because this ignorant simplicity, is 
a thing of such exceeding profit and advantage 
to the priests and religious of Rome. The more 
ideots the people are, the more easy it is to 
chouse them, and to pick their pockets. 

This is, Sir, some part of what I have observed 
concerning the use that is made of the doctrine of 
purgatory in Italy. I might produce many in- 
stances of every different point I have treated of 
in my Letters ; but commonly I alledge one 
only, and very rarely two; and indeed never, 
but when some particular circumstance, which 
deserves one's notice, does oblige me to it. I 
shall onFy add a word or two concerning their 
Pictures of Purgatory, before I conclude this 
Letter. 

There is never a church or chapel in Italy, 
which has not some large picture in it, represent- 
ing purgatory. The saints that are there, are 
painted in the resemblance of naked young men 
and women, with some flames surrounding them ; 
these flames, indeed, are harmless enough, be- 
cause they burn not ; but I fear those infamous 

naked 



OF FESTIVALS, $c. 217 

naked figures, kindle very dangerous flames in 
the hearts of many spectators. An Italian hay- 
ing- caused his mistress to be painted in the 
flames of purgatory, because she had refused 
him some favours, had these two lines written at 
the bottom of the picture : — 

S 9 e cost piacevole divederla in purgatorio, 
Che cosa sarebbo divederla nel Cielo. 

His fancy was this : if it be so pleasing a thing to 
see her in purgatory, where the flames hide some 
part of' her naked body, how great would the 
pleasure be, to see her painted in heaven stark 
naked, where no part of her body would be hid ? 
For after this manner do they of the Church of 
Rome represent the last judgment, and the blessed 
souls in heaven. They publicly expose these pic- 
tures on their altars, and the people have them 
before their eyes, whilst they hear mass. I know 
that they alledge, That this is done to impress 
these great truths of Christianity the more strong- 
ly upon the imagination; as if Christians were 
only to be led by their imaginations, and not by 
their reason. They will have a man to submit 
his reason in all things, and at the same time 
spare nothing' to fortify his imagination. Where- 
as, the Protestants do quite the contrary: they 
disregard and neglect material things that vi- 
gorously affect the senses, that they may wor- 
ship God in spirit and in truth, and to render 
him a reasonable service. 

They practise one thing in Italy, which indeed 
is very horrible. When a poor criminal is led to 
punishment, he has always two priests by his 
side, who hold a picture of purgatory before his 
eyes ; yea, they go up the ladder or scaffold 
with him, still holding the picture before him 
till execution be done, and talk to him of nothing* 

V else* 



218 THE FIFTH LETTER, 

else* Is not this indeed to double the fright and 
terror of these poor wretches, who are but too 
much terrified already with the death they see 
prepared for them ? The same thing- they prac- 
tise towards those that lie a dying ; they place a 
picture of Purgatory at the feet of their bed, be- 
tween two lighted wax candles, to make it appear 
with more lustre, and the patient is exhorted to 
keep his eyes upon it. Some are fain to beseech 
them, to speak to them of the goodness and 
mercy of God, because they are already sufficient- 
ly terrified with his justice: but for the most 
part, they do but knock at a dead man's door, for 
the priests are so wedded to their songs of pur- 
gatory, that if they chance to make a small di- 
gression, they presently fall again into their old 
track. For my part, I am of opinion, that after we 
have spoken to a sick person concerning the jus- 
tice of God, of punishing' of sin in the other 
world, by the eternal pains of hell, to the end to 
make him seriously examine his own conscience; 
it is very fitting afterwards to lay before him 
the great mercy of God, to raise his hope and 
inflame his charity. We fear God, because lie 
is just to punish ; but we love him because he 
is kind to pardon; and surely it is better the 
last moments of a Christian's life should be spent 
in loving God, than in the fears and terrors of 
his judgments. This is that which hath cast 
many into those terrors, which wanted little of 
downright despair. But, alas ! it is but too e- 
vident, that the doctrine of purgatory was never 
contrived so much for the comfort of dying per- 
sons, as for the profit of the living; I mean of 
those lazy priests, who think of nothing but of 
pleasing themselves, and to enjoy ease and plenty 
in this world. 

I should now come to speak something of the 
principal means they make use of, to confirm and 

maintain 



OF FESTIVALS, $c. 21 <> 

maintain the doctrine of purgatory, which is to 
preach it up with an incomparable zeal and ear- 
nestness. I call to mind also, that I promised 
you at the beginning* of this Letter, to give 
you some account of their manner of preaching 1 
in Italy. But, forasmuch as 1 perceive my Let- 
ter to be long enough already, and that this 
subject cannot be dispatched in few words, I 
shall reserve it for the next occasion I shall have 
of writing* to you; and in the mean time, Sir, I 
beseech you to believe, that I shall continue all 
my Iife^ 

Your's, $c 



LETTER VL 

OF THE DEPLORABLE ABUSE OF PREACHING 
/JV ITALY, <£ C 



You know, Sir, that which supports the Church 
of God, and is, as it were, the life and soul 
of it. are the sacraments and the word of God, 
wherefore it is of the highest consequence 
that both these be faithfully and decently ad~ 
ministred; and I shall always take the due and 
faithful dispensation thereof for a sure mark of 
the true church. This motive engaged me, 
whilst I was at Rome, particularly to inspect 
the practices of the Church of Rome; in refer- 
ence to both these, I supposed I could not 
meet with any place more favourable to this my 
design, than this great city, which boasts her- 

U 2 self, 



220 THE SIXTH LETTER, 

self, if we will believe her> not only to contain, 
within her precinct, the principal and Mother 
Church of the whole world, but over and above, 
doth attribute to herself (though it be hard to 
say upon what good ground) the name of holy, 
Roma Sancta. As for what concerns the admi- 
nistration of the Sacraments, I cannot deny, but 
the same is performed there both very orderly 
and solemnly, and indeed with an overplus of 
ceremonies, even to superstition* Here I should 
give you an account of those ceremonies which 
are observed at the consecration of priests, the 
celebrating of the Eucharist, and of the pomp- 
ous preparations that are made against Easter, 
the week before, they call The Holy Week, which 
by their splendour and magnificence, draw an 
infinite number of strangers to Rome, towards 
the end of Lent, to be spectators thereof. It is a 
common saying*, That lie who would pass his time 
most agreeably in Italy, must be at Venice at 
Shrovetide and Ascension-day ; the octave of the 
Holy Sacrament at Bononia, and the Holy Week 
at Rome. 

Here also, I should have occasion to relate to 
you an infinite number of fopperies, that are 
practised here on certain feasts in the year ; as at 
Christmas, Asce?ision, and Pentecost ; but because 
this would take up a great deal of time, I shall 
pass them by in silence at present, to enlarge my- 
self on a more considerable subject, wherewith 
my intent is to entertain you particularly at this 
time, which is their way and manner of preach- 
ing. As much as there is of superstition and 
excess in the pompous administration of the Sacra- 
ments, so great a deficiency, negligence, and un- 
faithfulness do we meet with in the dispensing 
of the word. During the space of seven years 
that I was in Italy, in all the cities where I have 

been 



OF PREACHING, &c. 221 

been at the times of Advent and Shrovetide, I 
have heard vast number of sermons ; but I have 
never seen or known any curate, or secular priest 
to preach, except once a canon at S. John of 
Lateran, and a cardinal on Easter-day, in the ca- 
thedral church of Milan. So that in case the 
word of God be corrupted and abused, as indeed 
it is very considerably every day, we cannot 
charge the secular priests of Italy therewith; 
who do not preach at all, or who indeed are, 
for the most part, so ignorant, that they cannot, 
if they would ; but the fault is wholly to be laid 
at the door of the monks, and other religious, 
who have in a manner wholly engrossed the per- 
formance thereof. Methinks it is enough said, 
when I tell you, that the true pastors, who are 
the curates, take no pains to feed their own flock, 
but recommend that care to strangers, I mean 
to monks, who * are more solicitous to satisfy 
their own interest and vain-glory, than to pro- 
cure the salvation of souls. Yea, the monks have 
so absolutely possessed themselves of this mi- 
nistry, that they will not suffer a secular priest 
to preach in his own church; and if any of 
them should undertake so to do, and they should 
find that they could not supplant him, they 
would maliciously employ all manner of means 
to blacken and misrepresent him in the eyes of 
the people, and rob him of his credit and repu- 
tation. 

. True it is, that on the other hand, the curates 
being generally lovers of ease and idleness, make 
no great endeavours to reclaim their right to the 
pulpit : they declare openly, that it is the bu- 
siness of the monks to preach, forasmuch as not 
being engaged in the business and trouble of 
the world, they have leisure enoug'h in their mo« 
nasteries to study their sermons ; but that as for 
them, being wholly employed in the adminis- 

U 3 tratiom 



222 THE SIXTH LETTER, 

tration of the sacraments, in hearing of confes- 
sions, and assisting at funerals, they have no spare 
time to turn their thoughts that way. So that 
we seldom meet with any quarrels on this occa« 
sion between them and the monks. 

Whilst I was at Rome, I often went to the Mi- 
nerva to hear sermons : they are the Father Do- 
minicans that preach here, who are also called the 
Preaching Brothers, because, in the sharing and 
division of the gifts and graces of Cod, the 
monks have made amongst themselves, these 
have boldly appropriated to themselves the gilt 
of preaching. But we find that this is nothing 
but an arrogant usurpation of theirs, without the 
consent of the Holy Spirit ; for I have scarcely 
found any monks more unsuccessful in this mi- 
nistry than themselves. God will never permit 
the pride of men to dispose of those gifts which 
belong to him alone. The Jesuits have arrogat- 
ed to themselves the gifts of tongues, and of in- 
forming youth 5 and yet, experience shews, that 
they are indeed very ignorant and unskilful in 
both these ; and that the scholars who have stu- 
died in the universities under other masters, are 
incomparably better grounded in learning, than 
theirs are. The monks of S. Bennet have appro* 
priated to themselves, the character of Retirement 
and Silence, and yet we find no people more 
gadding up and down in cities and country, than 
they. 

But to return to my discourse; it was one of 
these old Dominicans, or preaching brothers, that 
preached at the Minerva ; but he did it in so un« 
worthy and indecent a manner, that I wonder how 
I could resolve to go and hear him more than 
once. AH that was attractive in him was, that 
notwithstanding he was very old, yet he was ex- 
tremely comical, and an egregious buffoon ; so 
that he made his auditors laugh with open throats* 



OF PREACHING, $c. 223 

He walked in his pulpits (for in Italy they have 
them very long- and wide,) he thumped the pulpit 
with his hands and feet • he rolled his eyes in his 
head, and put himself into an hundred ridiculous 
postures. 

I shall give you here a small account of one of 
his sermons, which I still remember, that by the 
pattern you may judge of the whole piece. He 
had a mind, it seems, to make a moral appiication 
of the history in the twenty-first chapter of 
the book of Genesis, where Abraham turned his 
maid Hagar out of doors. He begins thus; Sirs, 
said he, come follow me, and take a walk with 
me in the Holy Scripture: then fetching* three 
steps in the pulpit, having one of his arms a- 
kimbow, he stopped short at the fourth, as a man 
who in an horrid desert, saw somebody at a great 
distance, he stood still a good while without 
speaking* a word, and very attentively fixing- his 
eyes till the near approach of the object; he be- 
gan to say, What is that I see there ? sure it is a 
woman ; and keeping silence again a good while, 
he said, O God! if I be not much mistaken, it 
is Hagar, Abraham's servant: ah, sure enough it 
is the very same. God save you Hagar! Pray thee 
tell me, what is thy business here in this lone- 
some desert, which is so dismal and frightful to 
nature 1 Then making, as if he viewed her from 
head to foot, / perceive one thing already, (said 
he) that she has not robbed her master, as many 
servants do now a-days ; for she is in a very pi- 
tiful equipage. Tell me, Hagar, Why is it then 
you have left your master ? Here making Hagar 
speak in a most afflicted and sorrowful manner, 
and, as it were, all in tears, That it teas because 
of her mistresses jealousy; he answered, laugh- 
ing, A very fine reason, believe me: what teas 
this all? hum! this is very pleasant : madam 
Sarah turns away her servant because she is 

jealous 



224 THE SIXTH LETTER, 

jealous of her. Come Hagar, come thou along 
with me; I will at this instant go and speak 
to thy master about it. And then taking seven 
or eight turns in the pulpit, muttering all the 
while to himself ; Sarah turns atvay her servant 
because she is jealous of her ; a staunch reason 
indeed; and then stopped, striking two great 
thumps against the pulpit, he said, Who is there ? 
Pray te/Z Abraham I would speak with him: and 
scon after, making a very low bow, as if he had 
seen Abraham, he said to him, Abraham, pray 
tell me, for what reason you have turned away 
your servant Hagar ? She tells me it is 9 because 
your wife is jealous of her : then personating 
Abraham, Abraham answers him, If I have turn- 
ed away my servant, I hate had an order from 
God for it, and therefore do not think myself 
bound to give you any further reason of* it. 
Though indeed, Hagar has not told you all: it 
was not only upon the account of jealousy, she 
was turned out of doors, but because she has a 
little boy of her own, that is very naughty ; 
she beats him that I had by my ivife, they are 
continually wrangling together; they pull one 
another by the hair ; they cry, and make an in- 
tolerable noise in the house. My wife has seve- 
ral times spoke f riendly to her servant about it, 
but Hagar is become too bold and impertinent, 
she gives saucy answers, and has too much ton- 
gue: for these reasons, therefore, and to have 
quiet in mine house, I have been fain to turn 
her out of doors. Here the old Father Domini- 
can, rolling his eyes in his head, and wrinkling 
his brow, as one that was very angry with Ha- 
qar: Hagar, (said he) / find now, that thou didst 
not tell me the cream of the jest : thou art just 
like the servants of Rome, when they are turned 
out of service, it is never any of their fault, it 
is because their mistresses are of an intolerable 

difficult 



OF PREACHING, S?€. 225 

difficult temper; they are exceeding humour- 
some, they are very jealous, and it is impossible 
to live with them ; but by that I can perceive, 
it was because you began to play the mistress, 
and because there was a continual disturbance in 
the house upon your account. I know well 
enough that jealousy could not be a sufficient rea- 
son for sending a good servant packing ; for 
otherwise our Roman dames, who are extremely 
jealous, would never be able to keep any: but 
there must be this besides in the case, that this 
jealousy causeth disturbance and noise in the 
house between the husband and his ivife, or be- 
tween the children ; and then I am clearly of 
Abraham's opinion, the servant must turn out, 
Ejice Ancillam Sc Filiiim ejus. The Father, af- 
ter he had very dexterously played the buffoon 
on this history of the Bible, past on another, 
which he handled in the same comical manner, 
making all his hearers to burst out into a loud 
laughter: and after all, fell upon the devotion 
common to their order, which is the Rosary ; 
for they bring this in by the head and shoulders 
upon all occasion, let their subjects be what they 
please. This was his constant mode of preach- 
ing, and the church was always full of people. 

The Italians are extremely in love with ser- 
mons that make them laugh, which is the reason 
that the most part of their preachers apply them- 
selves to a comical and drolling style. The Je- 
suits have another way of preaching-, which I 
may call a poetical style; for they being per- 
sons who have spent their youth in teaching 
human learning in their colleges, they have 
their head and^fancies filled with Ovid's Meta- 
morphosis and JE sop's Fables; and accordingly 
all their sermons are stuffed with them. If they 
speak concerning the Incarnation of the Word, 



226 ; THE SIXTH LETTER, 

they would think they had not expressed them- 
selves well without saying, that the divine Prome- 
theus brought down fire from heaven to the earth ; 
that is to say, Has personally united the divine 
with the human nature. They commonly quote a 
vast number of passages drawn from profane au- 
thors and poets ; as from Cicero, Virgil, Horace, 
Martial, §c. ; yea, I have heard some of them 
that have quoted Terence's Comedies, and Ovid 
de Arte Am audi ; but they very seldom are 
heard citing* the fathers, and yet more seldom 
the Holy Scripture. The great converse they 
have with persons of quality, make their words 
and expressions to be choice ; their discourse, 
neat and refined, though substance and solidity 
be for the most part wanting- in them : their ges- 
ture is very proper, and their declamation or e- 
locution not amiss. For to gain the more credit 
to their order, which is of late standing, and yet 
so powerful, they very frequently quote the book 
of the exercise of their founder S. Ignatus, which 
after all, is but a very poor book, and, as it is 
said, none of his own neither, having stolen it 
when he was convert brother in the abbey of the 
Benedictines of Montserra. 

The Capuchins have another way of preaching, 
and their style is stoical, emphatical, and thun- 
dering : they commonly make choice of very ter- 
rible subjects, as death, the last judgment, pur- 
gatory, and hell: they fill the air with excla- 
mations, thump the pulpit with their hands and 
feet ; they lay hold of their great beards, and 
roar with such a tone, as terrifies all men, yea, 
and the dogs too ; for I have observed, that when 
a capuchin preached, all the dogs run out of the 
church. In a word, almost all the religious have 
a different way of preaching', and different di- 
vines too, whom they follow, whose opinions are 

frequently 



OF PREACHING, 227 

frequently opposite to one another. The Corde- 
liers have their Scotus and S. Bonaventura ; the 
Dominicans, S. Thomas; the Jesuits, their Sua- 
rez ; and so of the rest. 

As for the order observed in respect to the parti- 
tion of their sermon, it is the same throughout all 
Italy ; they all begin their sermons with the Angeli- 
cal Salutation, or Ave Maria ; and not with the in- 
vocation of our heavenly father, in praying, Our 
Father, §c. or by calling upon the Holy Ghost, 
which yet are the most proper, or rather the only 
necessary for this purpose. But indeed, the doc- 
trine they preach is so extremely corrupt and 
wrested, that it is no wonder to find their intro- 
ductions tainted with the same infection. God, by 
this very thing manifesting tons, that what they 
preach is not the pure word of God, by permit- 
ting them to preface their human inventions with 
the invocation of a creature. After their address 
to the Virgin, they pronounce their text, which 
commonly is a place of scripture, or sometimes a 
part of a prayer of their church, or some en- 
trance of the mass. They cite the text of scrip- 
ture only by halves, and in abstracted and inter- 
rupted sense, without declaring what goes before 
or follows after, which yet they ought to do, to 
render the sense perfect. After this, they pro- 
ceed to their proposition, and then continue their 
discourse of a piece, without any division or 
subdivision at all. They divide their sermon in- 
deed, into two parts ; but the second, is nothing 
else but an heap of examples, histories, and tales, 
made at pleasure, to divert their auditors. In 
the interval between the first and second part, 
they gather the alms in the church for the poor. 
There are men appointed for this purpose, who 
have bags fastened to the end of long staves, 
with little bells at the bottom of them, and they 
pass by all the ranks and seats of the hearers, to 

receive 

4 



228 THE SIXTH LETTER, 

receive their charity. The preacher in the mean 
time, whilst these bags or purses are marching 
about, doth, with an incomparable zeal exhort 
them to give freely, I never in my life, saw 
people more enflamed with charity for their 
neighbours, than they are in the pulpit; you 
would say, They are the very fathers of the 
poor. Herein I cannot but do them the justice 
to own, that our Protestant ministers are not so 
good advocates for the necessitous members of 
Jesus Christ, and do not take the cause of the 
poor to heart with so much heat and zeal, as 
these men do. However, Sir, I would have you 
know, that when I praise your Italian monks, 
it is their person I praise, by their action, or ra- 
ther the external appearance of their action : for 
if we cut this fair apple in two, we shall find 
the worm there, which makes it all rotten and 
corrupt within. To make short, my meaning is, 
that the motive that prompts them so seriously 
and zealously to recommend the poor to their 
auditors, is a piece of self-interest : for the one 
half of the alms that are gathered in the church, 
as well as at the church door, during the sermon, 
belongs to the father-preacher ; otherwise, it were 
impossible to induce those hard-hearted and pi- 
tiless monks, those hearts of brass and marble, 
who are so signally qualified with insensibleness 
and cruelty ; I say, it would be impossible to 
induce them to any sentiments of mercy and 
compassion for the miseries of their neighbour, 
if laymen had not found out a way to join the 
interest of the preachers with that of the poor, 
and to make but one of them. This, this Sir, is 
the great spring ^hat moves the whole engine* 
and makes the itionks to study such importu- 
nate motives and reasons, to draw money from 
their hearers' purses ; yea, there be some of them, 
who are so extremely malapert and insolent, 



OF PREACHING, §c. 229 

that I am astonished they do not pull them out 
of the pulpit. 

I went one day in Lent to hear one of the ser- 
mons at the church of S. Andrew of the Valley, 
at Rome ; it was a Father Franciscan that then 
preached there ; his sermon was concerning* Pre- 
destination ; and after he had declared, that the 
number of those that were predestinate, was not 
so small as some did imag ine ; / speak note, 
(said he) of Catholics ; for as for all infidels, 
who do not believe in Jesus Christ, as well as 
all heretics, as the Lutherans, Calvinists, Zuing- 
lians, &c. our mother (the holy church Catholic, 
Apostolic, and Roman ) teacheth us, that they are 
all undoubtedly damned, and we ought to be- 
lieve accordingly. Afterwards, making a long* 
enumeration of all those he firmly believed 
would certainly be saved, he, amongst the rest, 
mentioned all those who were enrolled in the 
confraternity of S. Francis's rope, which pe- 
culiarly belong* to those of his order : Because, 
(said he) it is impossible, according to the bulls 
ice have concerning it from the Popes, that arty 
such should die in mortal sin. He very frankly 
allowed the same grace also, to all those who 
wore the habit of the order, and so very hand- 
somely justled in himself into the number of 
the elect. Finally, putting* a question to him- 
self, whether there were not some visible mark 
upon earth, by which one might distinguish 
the elect from the reprobate ? He answered h m- 
self, Yes, that certainly there were such si(.-ns. 
Amongst other signs he reckoned up, I renum- 
ber this was one, To love music, and the sound of 
instruments ; but that the principal sign of all 
was, to give alms. This indeed, was the point 
he would be at, and very dexterously he took 
occasion from hence, to exhort all his auditors, 
to expose that day to the eyes of all men, the 

X undoubted 



230 THE SIXTH LETTER, 

undoubted tokens of their predestination, by their 
liberal putting- into the purses; and that for his 
part, he would take exact notice from his sta- 
tion on high, of all those who gave this evi- 
dence of their election, that so he might know 
who were reprobate, and who were predestinate 
amongst them. Accordingly, he sets himself 
down in his pulpit, and was silent ; and staring 
with his great eyes that way they carried the 
bags, having perceived all the first rank had 
shewed themselves very liberal : This is welL 
(said he) I find that there is one rank already 
of my auditors that are predestinate. And the 
second and third, having followed the same ex- 
ample; In very truth, (said he) / believe, that 
my whole auditory will probe to be of the num- 
ber of the elect. This is an extraordinary com- 
fort for me, that I have preached here this 
Lent, and I render thanks to God for it ; be- 
cause it is a sign that sinners are converted. By 
this means, this Father procured a very liberal 
collection. I observed all this while, that he 
put many of his auditors into great trouble and 
confusion, especially some women, who probably 
had no money about them ; they blushed exceed- 
ingly, and to avoid the confusion of being ac- 
counted reprobates, they reached forth their 
hands to the bags, as if they had put in some- 
thing.. I myself heard an handicraftsman say- 
ing to one of his aecjuaintance, That monk there, 
(with his signs of predestination) made me, sore 
against my will, put a crown into the bag, be- 
cause I had no other small money about me; for 
if I had given nothing, it would have spoiled my 
reputation ; they would have taken me for a 
damned wretch, which would have been enough 
to have frightened all customers from my shop. 

The monk, ravished to have seen so many elect 
in his auditory, very joyfully fell to the second 

part 



OF PREACHING, 231 

part of his discourse, and being* put into an ex- 
treme good humour by their liberality, he play- 
ed the buffoon to admiration. After he had told 
them many little pleasant stories, he began his 
second quest for the souls in purgatory* He 
made use of the same motive, with which lie 
had speeded so well before* He represented to 
them, That it icas not enough to have shewed 
charity to the living, but that it was necessary 
for the completing of the evidence of their pre- 
destination, to extend it also to those that are 
dead; that is, to the members of the suffering 
church ; for that is the title they give to purga- 
tory. The money of this quest goes to the priests 
or monks to whom the church belongs where 
the sermon is preached ; and to encourage the 
preacher to do it more effectually, they allow him 
the fourth part of the collection. This is that 
which makes them so zealous to exhort the people 
from their pulpits, to a liberal contribution. 
There are some who are so far transported with 
zeal for these suffering* souls, that not content to 
have made one quest in general on this subject, 
they back the same with two others. The se- 
cond is, with an intention to relieve some rela- 
tion or friend, that any of the auditors are more 
particularly obliged to assist ; and the third, for 
that soul in purgatory, which is the most neg*- 
Iected as to matter of suffrages, and who hath 
neither relations nor friends to pray God for her. 
Thus it is, that these foolish and rash men, im- 
prudently exalt their mercy and compassion above 
that of God himself ; implying-, that if their cha- 
rity did not extend itself to these wretched souls, 
destitute of all help and assistance, as they say, 
God would be pitiless and cruel enough, to let 
them suffer a vast number of years, yea, even to 
the day of judgment, without shewing any mercy 
to them, 

U 2 I have 



232 THE SIXTH LETTER, 

1 have been told a story of a countryman who 
perceived that the preacher of his parish, after 
having made three quests one after another, was 
about to make the fourth, for the soul that suffer- 
ed most, called out to him aloud, father, I would 
advise you, to shut up your purgatory at pre- 
sent ; for if you let one soul more out, she will 
be in danger to return from whence she came 
without any thing ; for my part, (said he) / tell 
you plainly, I have no more money to give. Whe- 
ther this be a true story, or no, I cannot aver ; 
only this I know, that very often they give a fair 
occasion for their auditors to say as much. It is in 
the interval of their gathering' this collect, that 
the good father preachers do utter whatsoever 
comes into their crowns, to persuade their au- 
ditors to so charitable a work. Here it is, that 
with a great deal of heat they vent all their fa- 
bles and tales of purgatory. 

I heard a Father Carmelite, in the parish of S. 
Sophia, in Venice, who having made a sign with 
his hand, to oblige his auditory to be silent, and 
listening attentively with his ear, as if he heard 
something*, he at length asked them whether they 
did not hear a kind of indistinct noise, as of 
many voices at a distance ? Afterwards, lending 
his ear a second time, he told them, that he 
heard the souls of purgatory calling upon them, 
Not to spare their charities, but to relieve them 
with a liberal contribution; corrupting to this 
purpose that passage of the Revelations, Audivi 
sub altare anima interject or um clamantium, vin- 
dica sanguinem nostrum, Deus fioster : I heard 
under the altar the souls of those that were 
slain ; crying, avenge our blood, O God. For 
he made bold to change most of the words, to 
accommodate them to his purpose ; saying, Audio 
sub altare animas defunctorum clamantium, re- 
frigerate sanguinem nostrum frarres nostri : I 

heard 



OF PREACHING, $e. 233 

heard under the altar the souls in purgatory, 
that cry. Refresh and cool our blood, oar dear 
brethren. I took this action of the preacher for 
an excellent figure of rhetoric, which is called 
Fictio ; but I am sure, that many there did 
not take it in my sense, but did really believe, 
that the preacher had indeed heard the souls in 
purgatory crying- under the high altar; a sure 
sign of which was, that many rose up from their 
seats to look that way. The sermon being ended, 
the preacher comes down out of the pulpit, and 
is led into the sextry, whither the purses are 
brought, and they are opened in his presence, 
and his share or dividend counted out to him ; 
the preachers herein resembling fowls of prey, or 
hunting dogs, to whom always a portion is given 
of the prey they have taken. 

In those parts of Italy that border upon Ger- 
many and France, the people do not suffer the 
priests and monks to lead them by the nose, so 
much as the inhabitants of the provinces that 
are nearer to Rome. True it is, the priests are 
not wanting to use their utmost endeavours to 
bring their purgatory into request; but the lay- 
men look upon them no better than mountebanks 
for their pains, who spare no lies to persuade the 
people to buy their drugs. 

I was once desired by the curate of Campa 
Doleino, in the Alps, to take the pains to clamber 
up the mount Splug, to go and preach the day 
of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, in a 
small village. I went thithur, and did my ut- 
most endeavour to stir up their devotion, and 
make it beneficial to their curate ; but it was 
impossible for me to exalt their beneficence be- 
yond a few pounds of butter, notwithstanding 
the curate had earnestly entreated me, to be im- 
portunate with them for some money. Money it 
seems is very scarce in those mountains, they 

X 3 affording 



234 THE SIXTH LETTER, 

affording- nothing* besides butter, cheese, dies- 
nuts, and salt meat ; and the poor country peo- 
ple carry to the church such as they have, to be- 
stow upon their curate. At the place I went to 
preach, the inhabitants cannot continue, but about 
two months in the very midst of the summer * 
after which, the extreme cold drives them from 
thence, and obliges them to remove lower, where 
they continue about two months longer with their 
cattle ; thus descending by degrees, till they 
come down to the vallies, where they continue 
all the winter. But to return to our preachers. 

The second part of their sermon, as is already 
mentioned, is made up of nothing* but idle tales 
and drollery ; which is the reason why many 
persons, who take no delight in those jests and 
fooleries, and probably also, for fear they should 
be forced against their wills, by the impudence 
of the preacher, to put money into the purses r 
go out of the church towards the end of the first 
part. This first part contains the body and sub- 
stance of their discourse ; and they who print 
their Quadragesimals and their Advent sermons* 
that they may not disparage themselves, never 
print the second part of them, but make a shift 
to divide their first part, and make two of it. 

The Bvffoon, or Comical-preachers, are the 
most followed by the common people ; but those 
that preach by curious thought, are the most es- 
teemed ; and those who are called Dotti, or Vir- 
tuosi, do generally frequent them. This way of 
preaching by curious thoughts, consist chiefly in 
never representing things in their natural sense* 
If they alledge a text of Scripture, it is a sense 
that is forced* subtil, curious, and far fetched* 
which is not the meaning of the Scripture ; and 
a preacher who should stop at the literal and na- 
tural sense, would be looked upon no better than 
a simpleton, ignoramus and ideot; and except 



OF PREACHING, $c* 235 

he liad something- of a comical air with him, 
would he very slenderly provided with auditors, 
I have made it my observation, that they com- 
monly take no place of Scripture in the literal 
sense, besides, the sacramental words, hoc est 
corpus meum ; this is my body ; for here they 
obstinately keep to the letter* And yet I once 
heard a Father Minim, in Trinity Church, on the 
hill at Rome, who interpreted the whole history 
of the institution of the Lord^s Supper in another 
sense, applying it wholly to the doctrine of alms. 
Our Lord Jesus Christ, (said he) the more engag- 
ingly to recommend to its the care of the poor? 
would have the last action he ever did here on 
earth, should be an act of charity ; to this pur- 
pose, when he had nothing more to dispose qfl 
save one poor morsel of bread he had in hishand^ 
he brake it, and gave it to his disciples. This 
thought of his was found very quaint and curious, 
though in the mean time it is very evident, that 
this is not the true and natural sense of the Holy 
History ; for Jesus Christ in this action, did not 
in the least pretend to give an alms, but to in- 
stitute a sacrament, that might serve for the sus- 
tenance and spiritual nourishment of our souls. 
However, the monk was extraordinarily applaud- 
ed for this his curious thought, and he was not 
wanting to make good use of it at his quest. And 
to the end they may be more fruitful and copi- 
ous in these fine thoughts, the monks ordinarily 
retire, and take their walks in pleasant places, as 
in gardens and woods, there to meditate theif 
sennons : others again, betake themselves to dark 
and subterranean places, there to contemplate 
without disturbance. Some of them drink good 
wine, and that in great quantity too, because, 
(according to the common proverb) Vinum acnit 
ingenium; Wine eccites invention. And lastly, 
others follow their particular humours. 

The 



236 THE SIXTH LETTER, 

The superiors of religious houses, suffer fheir 
preaching- monks to do what they please, and go 
whither they will, to favour their invention, or (as 
they term it) their curious thoughts. They deal 
with them as charitibly, as we usfed to do with 
big-bellied women, whom nothing must be re- 
fused, for fear of spoiling* their fruit, which are 
their fine thoughts. It is this great liberty and 
indulgence that makes so many monks in Italy 
apply themselves to preaching', because, being 
once engaged in this way, they are exempted 
from all the observances their rule obliged them 
to. 

The way of setting forth these their fine 
thoughts in the pulpit, is this : as soon as they 
have uttered any thing that is neat and curious, 
to make appear that it doth not want solidity, 
they, in order to back it) endeavour to find out 
some texts of scripture that seem to favour it, 
and to which, for the most part, they give as 
forced a turn, as to that which is the basis and 
ground of their neat thought. They commonly 
quote nothing but ends and scraps of verses, 
without telling what goes before, or what fol- 
lows, and seldom or never cite the books from 
whence they are taken. They content themselves 
with saying, As it is written ; or, according to 
the oracle 6f the holy spirit ; or, as it is set doivn 
in the sacred text ; and then quote the place they 
intend : but it is impossible to know, whe- 
ther what they alledge be faithfully report- 
ed by them or no* Thus it is an easy thing for 
these corrupters of the Holy Writ,, (that they may 
authorize their near thoughts and high sublima- 
tions of wit) to seduce poor people which n«ver 
read the Scripture, and to whom the reading of 
it is not so much as permitted. After they have 
thus endeavoured to back their curious thought 
with scripture, they endeavour further to strength- 
en 



OF PREACHING, fel 237 

en it by the authority of the fathers. They 
reckon amongst the fathers, not only the ancient 
doctors of the church, as S. Chrysostom, S. Am- 
brose, S. Jerome, and S. Austin, &c. but also 
their most modern doctors, as S. Thomas Aqui~ 
nas, Cardinal Bellarmine, fyc, insomuch as at 
this rate they have a very large and wide field 
to go a chusing in ; and forasmuch as it is an 
ordinary saying, that good wits jump, this egre- 
giously flatters their pride to make out to the 
people, that those great understandings of an- 
cient times do accord so well with theirs. Some 
have the sottish vanity to say, in the pulpit, S. 
Austin, or S. Ambrose, had the same thought 
when he said, $c They very seldom quote the 
books emd chapters from whence they have their 
authorities, and they content themselves with say- 
ing in general, As saith S. Austin ; as S. Am- 
brose affirms. But experience does evidence it be- 
yond dispute, that they cite a vast number of 
authorities falsly, or else do so extremely mangle 
and corrupt them, that if we should go to look 
for them in the original, from whence they pre- 
tend to have drawn them, it would be a very hard 
matter to know them. 

I once heard a Benedictine monk in the Church 
of S. Praxed, at Rome, who having made an ob- 
jection to himself, why amongst so many persons 
who have recourse to the Blessed Virgin in their 
needs, so few are relieved by her ? An event in- 
deed which seems directly opposed to the belief 
of the Church of Rome, viz. that all those who 
address themselves with confidence to the Blessed 
Virgin, are infallibly assisted by her. He answer- 
ed this objection by saying, That those who 
failed of her aid, were such as did not lift 
tip their hearts to her. They indeed (said he) 
do often enough lift up their eyes, their hands, 
and their voice, to Marv: but their hearts all 



238 THE SIXTH LETTER, 

the while are groveling on the earth, and they 
never lift them up ioicards her. To this pur- 
ose he quoted S. Jerome, si vohtmns exaudiri a 
laria, erigamus corda nostra arfMariam; If we 
would have Mary hear us, we must lift up our heart 
/oMary. I hare read S. Jerome before, and I have 
read him over since, having- always this passage 
of the Benedictine well imprest in my memory, 
but I could never find it there ; and I am well 
assured that no body will be able to find it 
there after me : but the mystery of it was, that 
this passage was very proper to back and con- 
firm the fine thought of the monk. 

We need not wonder to find the Roman Ca- 
tholics boast of having the fathers on their side ; 
for if at any time they are not so, they soon make 
them come over to them by force, and draw 
them in, as we say, by head and shoulders. In 
this case, they do imitate another Italian monk, 
who not being able to make a passage of S. Chry- 
sestom, favour a fine thought, was come into his 
head, he beg-an to be in a passion, and having* 
changed two or three words in the text, which 
did in a manner spoil the whole sense of it, he 
said in bad Latin, but very expressive of what 
he would be at, Faciam te bene venire, and thus 
forced the text to comply with his foolish imagina- 
tions. By this means it is these miserable monks 
make those venerable ancient fathers to assert 
that which they never thought of, and can never 
be found in their writings ; and all this is only 
to feed their vain glorious humour, and to ob- 
trude their own dreams for authentic truths, 
owned and believed by the purest times of Chris- 
tendom. 

Moreover, to set forth these their curious 
thoughts with the greater lustre, they do adorn 
them with many quaint figures of rhetoric; all 
their discourse being made up of metaphors, al- 
lusions, 



OF PREACHING, be. 239 

iusions, and holy allegories, with a taking- elo- 
cution, and curious select words ; and all of them 
Antitheta, or opposed to one another, wherein 
the Italian language is happy beyond others. 
See here the fair and glittering cut of gold, 
wherein the whore mingles her poison, lies and 
errors, to intoxicate the souls of men. This is 
the wide gate by which so many extravagant 
and dangerous opinions are entered into the 
Church of Rome. You may easily judge, by the 
nature of the pasture, of the condition the flock 
is in ; and by the qualifications of their new 
pastors, I mean the monks, the wretched estate 
of the sbeepfold committed to their charge. These 
are those pastors,, who share the wool, and feed on 
the fattest of the flock; but have little or no 
concern for the salvation of their souls, so they 
may but glut and satisfy their covetousness and 
ambition. 

Loredano, a noble Venetian, so famous in Italy 
for his witty and curious compositions, writing to 
Almoro Grimano of Verona, to recommend to him 
a preacher of his acquaintance, expressed himself 
in his letter to him in these words : Sene viene in 
cotesta Citta il Padre Fra. Girolamo Olivi, a jar 
pompad 9 elequenza net corso Quadra gesim ale : 
The father Jerom Olivi goes to Verona to make a 
pompous shew of his eloquence during Lent He 
saith not, that this monk goes to preach the gos- 
pel, or to strive to gain souls to Jesus Christ ; but 
saith, that he goes to make a sheiv of his eloquence , 
in which words he very fully expresseth the 
motive that puts these monks upon preaching. 

I have no words, Sir, to express to you the 
cabals, intrigues, solicitations and intercessions 
that are made to get into the best pulpit : that is to 
say, those where the most money or honour is to 
be got. They interpose favour of grandees and 
princes, to assure themselves of them, and that 

four 



240 THE SIXTH LETTER, 



four or five years before they become vacant* 
There are some of these pulpits, that are worth to 
the preacher from an Advent or Lent, four hundred, 
five hundred, and six hundred crowns : yea, some 
of them a thousand and more, without reckoning* 
the share of the alms given to the poor. As for 
those, from whence there is no great profit to be 
expected, the press is not so great; and as for 
the poor parishes in the country, where nothing" 
at all is to be had, there is not a monk to be 
found that will bestow so much as one sermon up- 
on them. 

They have ordinarily no preaching in Italy 9 
save only during Advent and Lent : on all other 
feasts and Sundays of the year, they have no 
sermons at the parishes ; and instead thereof, they 
only sing an high mass in music; but the word of 
God is not preached at all in them. Yet in some 
convents of monks, they have sermons in the 
afternoon : but these are sermons peculiar to the 
order of which the monks are, and always on the 
same subject. The Dominicans preach eternally 
on the Rosary ; the Carmelites on the Scapula- 
ry ; the Franciscans on the Rope of S. Fran- 
cis ; and the Soccolanii have for their subject, S. 
Anthony of Padua. True it is, these matters are 
of themselves very dry and barren, and I am as- 
tonished how they can continually make them 
yield something to talk of. One greater part 
of their sermons is made up of a relation of mi- 
racles, which a preacher of good invention may 
almost with as much ease coin, as utter. 

The Jesuits also have erected in their houses 
congregations, which they denominate from the 
Blessed Virgin, where they preach on Sundays 
and holydays : and to the end they may draw 
to them all sorts of people, they make a dis- 
tinction of persons ; they have one congre- 
gation for artizans and handicrafts-men, ano- 



OF PREACHING, $c. 241 

ther for scholars, a third for merchants, and a 
fourth for gentlemen and noblemen. They have 
also set-days on which they preach in their 
churches, to prepare people to die well ; they 
have very happily possessed themselves of this 
post; for it is exceeding* gainful and profitable 
to them. Upon this score it is, that they are sent 
for to exhort the sick, and such as lie at the 
point of death, which is the most proper time, 
and fairest occasion for them to' get themselves 
put into their last will. 

There is yet another sort of preachers in Italy, 
which I never saw in any other parts, where 
the Popish religion is professed • these preachers 
are called, Preachers of the Plate. To give you 
a more distinct idea hereof, you must know, Sir, 
that in the great cities of Italy, towards even- 
ing, when the great heat of the day is past, the 
Italians (of what rank or quality soever they 
be) go and take a walk in the Piazza: here it 
is they give audience, and discourse about their 
business. If any has a mind to meet with any 
person about that time, the first thing he does, 
is to go and look for him at this place. Here 
you are sure always to meet with a great num- 
ber of ballad-singers, juglers, mountebanks, for- 
tune-tellers, and other such like, who find their 
greatest profit amongst the greatest crowds : and 
the people do not fail to get about them, for 
their diversion and recreation: and amongst 
these, you meet with more priests and monks, 
than laymen; for after they have discharged 
themselves of their masses in the morning, there 
are none more idle than they all the rest of the 
day. No sooner are the mountebanks got up to 
their stage, but at the same time (by what mo- 
tive or zeal I know not) a monk, with a great 
crucifix carried before him, with a little bell they 
ring, to give notice of his coming, mounts a por- 

Y tative 



242 THE SIXTH LETTER, 

tative pulpit prepared for him in one of the cor- 
ners of the place, opposite to the theatre of the 
rope-dancers, and there begins to preach ; a mul- 
titude of people running from all parts to hear 
him. 

When I first saw this, I was extremely edified 
to see such crowds of people leave these actors 
and rope dancers, to hear a sermon; but drawing 
near myself to hear the discourse, I found that 
these preachers were better qualified to make the 
people laugh by their pleasant discourse and mi- 
mical gesture, than the merry andrews of the 
stage. The mountebanks play the fool on their 
stages, and they, the buffoons and drolls in their 
pulpits. Whilst those use their utmost effort to 
sell their drugs ; these make quest in the place 
which goes in the name of Being for the Poor, 
whom they recommend with a great deal of zeal 
and earnestness to their hearers ; though indeed 
all the money they gather comes into their own 
pockets. I chanced once to be in the company 
of some monks, who imprudently did aver, that 
these sermons in the Piazza's, were a manifest 
proof of the truth of the religion at Rome 
against the heretics, because in them there was 
a visible accomplishment of that oracle of the 
Holy Ghost, which we find in the first chapter 
of the Proverbs, where it is said, that wisdom 
eries in the public places ; and that it was only 
to be found amongst the Roman Catholics, where 
wisdom, that is, The word of God, made itself to 
be heard in public, by means of these preachers of 
the places. 

To tell you my thoughts, Sir, I am fully per- 
suaded, that if icisdom do indeed cry there, it is 
for vengeance upon the horrid abuse and affront 
done to his gospel, which is there ridiculed and 
rnado the subject of their drollery, to make peo- 
ple laugh* Neither can it be said, that .wisdom 

can set h 



OF PREACHING, $e. 243 

causeth her voice to be heard there, with respect 
to the persons of the preachers, the most of them 
being monks of the most debauched and profligate 
lives. I knew one of them at Venice, that was a 
most wicked wretch, who no sooner got out of 
the pulpit, but went and spent the money he had 
got at lr's quest, in infamous places upon whores* 
The Roman Catholics are at a loss, whither to 
betake themselves for visible signs of the truth 
of their church. They produce some others every 
whit as pitiful as that now mentioned, amongst 
which they reckon a certain custom introduced, 
in Italy, to make little children preach publicly in 
their churches, from Christmas till Twelve-tide* 
They take pretty children of about three or four 
years of age, and they make them get by heart 
some short sermons upon the birth of our saviour, 
which may last above a quarter of an hour ; 
they spend much time to exercise them in tfco 
utterance of them with a good grace ; and on 
Christmas-day, they preach them, before the man - 
gers that are prepared in all churches at that 
time. These little children observe all the ce- 
remonies of preachers: they begin with their Ave 
Maria, then proceed to a short introduction, and 
afterwards to a division. As soon as they have 
made an end of their first part, they make a 
quest, and all their auditors give them some- 
thing. This done, they preach for the souls in 
purgatory. No sooner has one of them made 
an end of his sermon, but another takes his 
place, and begins; and thus they continue till 
Twelve-tide. They begin early in the morning, 
and do not make an end till far in the night. 
The money they get at their quests, serves them 
afterwards to make a collation with, and buy 
them sweetmeats, and other junkets. Thus it is 
they educate and accustom these young lions 
betimes to the prey, to the end (when they are 



'244 THE SIXTH LETTER 

grown up to be great preachers) they may be 
expert at devouring the aims, which are given 
to the poor only. 

Now all this pretty intrigue is produced by 
the Italians, as a mark, forsooth, of the truth 
of their religion, applying* it to that verse of the 
Psalmist, Ex ore infantitim $ lactentium per-, 
fecisti laudem; Thou hast (according to their 
explication of it) perfected the work of preach- 
ing out of the mouth of infants. They say, 
that this is no where to be found, save only in 
their church. This gives me an occasion to 
speak to you of that signal mark of their church, 
of which they boast so much, and which with 
so much vehemence they object to the Pro- 
testants, viz. the mission of their evangelical 
preachers, which they send into foreign coun- 
tries. This, I can assure you, that should the 
Jesuits of Italy, and other countries of the Ro- 
man communion, send thither their missionaries, 
proportionably to the money that is given them 
for this purpose, all the fathers of that order 
would not be sufficient to supply the places. It 
is impossible to imagine the immense sums that are 
given them upon this account. This is their great 
pretence, in the frequent visits they make to the 
palaces of the great ones, as well as to the houses 
of widows and rich men, to induce them to 
contribute to so holy a work. And after all, 
they content themselves with sending only a 
certain number of their Jesuits, whom they pro- 
vide for, employing- the rest of the money in 
building those stately houses, or rather some 
sumptuous palaces for themselves, as they do; 
(for they will not have them called Monasteries 
and Convents) and with the same money they 
proportionably increase the rents and incomes 
thereof. A poor Capuchin, who goes about beg- 
ging an alms, is very well content, if he gets 



OF PREACHING, $e. 245 

but wherewith to fill his hungry belly ; but the 
pretext of the Jesuits is far more specious, it is 
for the conversion of souls, and one must open 
wide one's purse strings to them, ad major em 
Dei gloriam; for the greater glory of God ; 
else they are not well satisfied. In the mean 
time we see with our eyes the work they made 
in England, insomuch as their name is become 
execrable and abominable; not so much for their 
earnest application to convert, or rather to per- 
vert souls, as for the intrigues they carry on to 
trouble the public peace: for finding it impos- 
sible to persuade people by the weakness of 
their pitiful arguments, they endeavour to put a 
whole kingdom into combustion, and to set Pro* 
testants together by the ears, to the end, that 
having by their mutual animosities and quarrels, 
plentifully drawn blood from each other, some 
Catholic prince may afterwards subdue them 
more easily, and so bring about that by the sword 
which it was impossible for them to do by their 
reasons. 

This is that I was told by a Jesuit of Milan 
about four years since : Our reverend father s r 
the Jesuits in England (said he) write to us, That 
the English are exceeding obstinate in persisting 
in their heresy, and thai the only way of con* 
verting them, is totally to exterminate and root 
them out. This is that therefore (continued he) 
for vihich our fathers do incessantly labour, and 
we hope, within a short time to see, that God 
has blest their endeavours with an answerable 
success. 

One thing here is remarkable^ which is* that 
we do not find the Jesuits so zealous to go to 
other Protestants countries, as they are to come 
to England; for we meet but with very few of 
them in Sivisserland or Germany ; the reason is, 
because England is furnished with a charm that 

Y 3 m 



246 THE SIXTH LETTER, 

is irresistible for them; it is a country well 
stored with money, and could they but once 
wriggle in themselves to be the confessors and 
directors of all the English ladies, it would be a 
very pleasing- employment for them. Besides, it 
is well known what kind of life they lead here, 
and that it is nothing- less than a peneteatial way 
of living, as they would make others believe. 
Wherefore I cannot see how their mission can 
be an infallible mark of the truth of the Roman 
religion, as the Papists pretend: but sure I am, 
that this mark (if there must be any at this time) 
may with greater justice be attributed to those 
zealous Protestant ministers, who having- already 
suffered imprisonment and banishment for the 
defence of the gospel, are privately returned to 
Prance, in the great heat of the persecution, and 
betaken themselves to those provinces where 
they were altogether unknown, for to strengthen 
and encourage their brethren, to preserve in them 
the profession of the truth, and to endeavour to 
raise up those again, who by their frailty had 
renounced iU Here, to be sure, were no tempo- 
ral advantages for them to hope for ; and they 
could easily be assured, that in case they were 
taken in the fact, they would be sent to the gal- 
lies, or condemned to death* as hath happened to 
many of them. 

But as for the Jesuits, they are so well per- 
suaded, that they are never like to suffer any 
thing here in England, upon the account of their 
religion, that notwithstanding all the acts of Par- 
liament, which are only levelled to prevent their 
wicked designs, they still continue here very freely 
and openly : and yet, when they are got home, 
they will not be wanting to publish everywhere, 
as it is their custom to do, that they have been 
persecuted, clapped up in prison, tormented and 
had certainly been put to death, had not the in- 
tercession 



OF PREACHLYG, $e. 247 

tercession of the Blessed Virgin, or of some saint 
to whom they have devoted themselves, most mi- 
raculously delivered them. 

But it is time I return again to Italy, where I find- 
yet another sort of missionaries, which are not to 
be employed in foreign countries, but in Italy 
itself. These are all monks, sometimes of one, 
and sometimes of another order, but mostly Ca- 
puchins, and yet more ordinarily a certain sort of 
friars, which are called, The Fathers of the Mis- 
sion: these, after they have furnished themselves 
with a good stock of sermons upon different sub- 
jects, they send to Rome, and demand a mission 
from the Pope ; that is, leave to go and preach 
their sermons in certain towns and provinces, 
with all the indulgences and power to absolve 
in, reserved, as is customarily granted on like 
occasions. 

The first I ever saw of this sort, was at Mon- 
tefiascon, two days journey and an half from 
Rome. These were Capuchins, who besides their 
habit, which was very odd and antique, with 
their great beards, they had on their heads 
great red calots, or close caps, to signify their 
zeal, and the red hot ardour of their charity for 
the conversion of souls ; for this (if we will be- 
lieve them) is yet another mark of the true 
church ; for even as the Holy Ghost did visibly 
descend on the heads of the Apostles, in the 
form of fiery tongues, so there are to this day 
found those heads in the Church of Rome, w r hom 
the fire of scarlet distinguished from others; and 
that this also is the reason why the Cardinals, 
who are all Divine Love, (or to speak more truly, 
who ought to be so) wear red hats, and the Pope 
a cap of the same colour. Well, to return to 
my red caps ; I had the curiosity to go and 
hear them preach ; I entered the church where I 
saw one of them in the pulpit, with a great 

rope 



248 THE SIXTH LETTER, 

rope or cord about his neck, and a great cruci- 
fix in his arms, who did his utmost endeavour, to 
excite sensible affections in the hearts of his au- 
ditors. The chief aim of these preachers, is, To 
make the people weep ; if they can once effect 
this, they are happy, and this is all they desire ; 
for this procures them the reputation of being 
great missionaries, and men of a truly apostolic 
spirit. To this end, they make use of the most 
tender, melting-, and affectionate expressions they 
can think of, to draw tears from their hearers. 

The preacher 1 heard at this time, was para- 
phrasing the History of the Passion of our Sa- 
viour, and after he had employed his utmost skill 
in setting forth our Saviour as the most lovely 
and beautiful of all men : he, on the other hand, 
represented those pitiless tormentors, who, with 
great cords tied his fair hands, white as the 
driven snow, and beat his lovely countenance 
where the Jilly and the rose did urge for mas- 
tery. He added to all these expressions, a most 
lamentable and affecting' tone, with gestures 
very proper, and according to the subject ; I per- 
ceived that this father was an excellent declaim- 
ed When on a sudden some good women, wholly 
melted into tenderness and compassion (as were 
those women of Jerusalem, who wept, seeing Je- 
sus Christ carrying his cross up to Mount Cal- 
vary, and whom our Saviour bade not to weep 
for him, but for themselves) caused their sighs to 
be heard aloud; and a few minutes after, all that 
quarter where the woman sat, being all in tears; 
the emotion soon caught amongst the men also, 
so that the whole church was filled with groans, 
sighs, and sobs. Whereupon the Capuchin re- 
solved to prosecute his conquest, cast himself 
down upon his knees, and fixing his great cruci- 
fix upon the pulpit, he lifted up both his hands 
to heaven, and with a mournful and terrible voice, 

twisting- 



OF PREACHING, #c. 249 

twisting the cord about his neck, as if he had a 
mind to strangle himself, he cried out, tnerey, 
mercy ; and continued in the same manner, to 
repeat the same word about forty or fifty times, 
till he made all his auditory to cry after him. 
Then there was a most dreadful noise heard in 
the church, which continued for a good quar- 
ter of an hour, till their breaths being spent, 
the noise began to lessen by degrees, and at 
last, ended in a great silence ; which gave oc- 
casion to the father to resume his discourse, 
which he continued with the same tender affec- 
tions to the end. 

I do not pretend in the least to blame here the 
sensibleness and tenderness of men's hearts, with 
respect to our Saviour's passion ; I am so far from 
that, that I wish it were in my power to make a 
most deep impression thereof in the hearts of all 
men : but withall, this shall never hinder me 
from averring, that these affections do ordinarily 
pass away like lightning', and that good solid 
motives laid down in a sermon, to engage peo- 
ple to a truly Christian life, make a longer stay 
in a man's mind, and are there ready upon occa- 
sion to move the will; and this is that which 
these missionaries wholly neglect. Accordingly, 
we do not find, that the Italians (after all these 
missions) are yet a whit the better men. At the 
end of three weeks or a month, which commonly 
is the term of these missions, they go with a 
great deal of solemnity, and plant a gTeat cross 
of wood (of about thirty or forty foot high) on 
some eminent place near the cities where the 
mission has been discharged, ad perpetuam rei 
memoriam. This action is performed with a great 
deal of ceremony and superstition ; thither re- 
pair all, and worship bare-footed, with cords 
about their necks ; and here it is the preacher 
concludes and seals his mission, in giving the 

people 



250 



THE SIXTH LETTER, 



people a good benediction, and all the indulgences 



I once happened to meet with some mission- 
aries on Mount Apennin, who came from preach- 
ing in a city belonging* to the country of Urban. 
A lusty young man, who had been their guide for 
seven or eight miles together, and who had car- 
ried them on his shoulders over a brook, declared, 
that he had neyer found any thing more light 
than they were, and that he thought that they 
weighed no more than a feather. The hostess, 
at whose house they had lodged, answered smiling, 
That this miracle did surprize her the more, be- 
cause she had given them a good dinner just be- 
fore their going away ; and if there were no- 
thing but what they had eaten they must needs 
tveigh something* The place where I met them, 
was at another inn, where they, notwithstanding, 
caused a second dinner to be prepared for them. 
By this I perceived, that all these zealous mis- 
sionaries with their ropes about their necks, are 
not always the greatest lovers of penance, herein 
resembling the pharisees, who though they car- 
ried the commandments of the law written on 
their foreheads, yet were not the strictest obser- 
vers of it. And yet it is to these kind of mis- 
sionaries, the Roman Catholics assure us, That the 
gift of preaching is particularly communicated 
by the Holy Ghost, in the particular dispensation 
and division df his graces and gifts. For my 
part, I should rather believe, that this excellent 
privilege does in the first place belong to the 
bishops and ministers of the churches: these are 
the true pastors, whom the sheep are to hear. In- 
deed, we may say in one sense, that the minis- 
try of preaching is quite ceased in Italy, where 
they hear in a manner nothing else but the 
voice of strangers ; I mean, of a vast number 
of miserable monks who are not curates of 
churches. I have 




OF PREACHING, $c. 251 

I have already mentioned in one of my Letters, 
that during- the space of seven years that I lived 
there, I never heard any man preach that had 
ecclesiastic authority ; that is to say, who was ei- 
ther curate or bishop, except only Cardinal Vis* 
conti, archbishop of Milan, whose custom was to 
preach on the four principal feasts or holy-days of 
the year, in his own cathedral. And yet herein 
also, I found a great inconvenience ; for this 
cardinal archbishop, that he might preach with 
the greater magnificence, and probably also by a 
motive of vain glory, would not permit any ser- 
mon to be preached that day. neither in the morn- 
ing nor afternoon ; and this in Milan, which is a 
very great city, and full of people. The church 
indeed, is very spacious, but yet I do not be- 
lieve it can contain the fiftieth part of the inha- 
bitants, at such a distance that they may under- 
stand the preacher : so that excepting only a cer-- 
tain number of persons, all the rest are deprived 
of hearing the Word of God. 

I went once to hear him preach on an Easter* 
day ; I could say indeed, that I saw him preach, 
but 1 could not hear him, the sound of his voice 
not reaching so far as where I was : and because 
of the great crowd, it was not possible for me to 
get near. He was magnificently appareled in his 
pontifical habiliments, with the mitre on his head ; 
and the pulpit of that cathedral being very spa- 
cious, he had several canons that assisted on each 
side of him, likewise dressed in all their most 
pompous ornaments. Having therefore seen him 
for a good while, shaking his head, and casting 
abroad of his hands, I went out of the church, 
without having understood one word that he 
said. And forasmuch as I have now made men- 
tion of an Easter-day, I cannot refrain, Sir, from 
giving you some account of a pleasant, but yet 
truly detestable and abominable custom, which 

takes 



252 THE SIXTH LETTER, 

takes place on Easter-day, throughout all Italy, 
in reference to preaching. They tell us, that 
Easter-day, is a day of merriment and rejoicing 
for Christians, applying to this purpose that text 
of the Psalmist; Hcec est dies quam fecit Domi-* 
nus, exult emus Icetemur in ea ; This is a day 
which the Lord hath made, let us be glad and 
rejoice therein. And indeed it is at such a day; 
but in another sense than they take it. Where- 
fore, to make the people merry, all the preachers 
on that day (how grave or serious soever they 
be) must play the merry andreic in their pulpits, 
and act a kind of comedy, that the people may 
hear the preacher with the greater pleasure and 
satisfaction. The sermon that is used to be preach- 
ed, during Lent time, in the morning, is on Eas- 
ier-day made in the afternoon ; because (as the 
Latin Proverb hath it) Venter jejunus uon delec- 
tatur musica ; an hungry belly takes no pleasure 
in mtisic. The word Hallelujah is a common text 
to ail the preachers on that day, which word in 
in its proper signification is as much as to say, 
Praise the Lord: but on Easter-day, in Italy, it 
signifies, Gentlemen and ladies, prepare your- 
selves for a loud laughter. After they had nam- 
ed their text, they enter upon matter, and vent 
all the most ridiculous stuff they can think of. 
These sermons afterward serve all the Easter- 
time for mirth and pastime in companies, where 
every one hath delight in relating to others what 
he hath heard. 

Being once on an Easter-day, in Bononia, I 
went to hear the sermon at S. Peter's Church, be- 
ing the cathedral of that city, the archbishop 
himself being then present. The preacher was 
one of the Fathers Soccolanti. After that he had 
turned several texts of scripture into ridicule, he 
quoted the 2d verse of the 16th chapter of S. 
Mark, where it is said that the Maries came to 

the 



OF PREACHING, §c 253 

the sepulchre, Orto jam sole, after sun-rising, as 
it is in the vulgar Latin; and opposed this to the 
jst verse of the 10th chapter of the gospel of S* 
John, where it is said, that they arrived very 
early, before it was yet day light : and then put 
the question, how it were possible to reconcile 
these two places, which seemed to contradict 
one another, For his part (he said) he believed 
that the Maries did not rise till long after the 
sun ivas risen, and indeed till it was near noon : 
for ice see (said he) that this goes for very early 
rising with our Italian ladies, who do not come 
to mass on Sundays till it be half an hour after 
eleven or twelve. And hereupon he began in a 
comical manner, to represent a woman's awaking 
out of her sleep ; the time she takes to rub her 
eyes, to stretch her arms, and an hundred other 
impertinent follies, which put all the church in- 
to a loud laughter. After (for this father was 
very fertile of his curious thought) he recalls 
himself, and said, That indeed the Maries were 
risen very early in the morning, but that they 
needed so much time to dress and trick up them- 
selves, that it ivas very late bejore they could 
get out of the doors, which was the reason they 
could not reach the sepulchre till after the sun 
teas risen / OiHo jam sole. Here he represented 
women dressings themselves; how much time 
they spend in dressing their head, and laying 
on of paint, fixing their patches, and making an 
hundred faces before their looking glasses ; and 
expressed all these particulars admirably well, 
with his mimical gestures. This curious thought 
he immediately backed with another : / cry 
mercy ! (said he) the Maries were not such vain 
tvomen, as 1 have been just note a describing : 
but they icere gossiping housewives, they rose 9 
and went abroad indeed, betimes in the morn- 
ing bu t before they could take their leaves of 

Z their 



254 THE SIXTH LETTER, 

their neighbours, much time was spent, so that 
they did not come to the sepulchre till it ivas 
late; Orto jam sole. Here lie enlarged himself 
on the tatling* and gossiping discourse of wo- 
men, and mentioned such ridiculous stuff amongst 
it, that the cardinal archbishop, who was there, 
burst into a , loud laughter. He continued his 
Easter-sermon at the same rate, to the end of it, 
prophaning (after a most henious and unworthy 
manner) so holy a day, and the venerable history 
of these holy women, who were judged worthy 
to be the first witnesses of the greatest mystery 
of our faith, viz. the resurrection of our Lord Je- 
sus Christ. 

Another year, being at Venice on Easter -day, 
I heard a Benedictine, that was a Genovese by 
birth, who (amongst a great many foolish and im- 
pertinent stories) told this that follows, by which 
you may judge of the rest: A young lady (said 
he) being newly married, did, extremely afflict 
herself, because her husband often told her, 
that he could not love her so well as otherwise he 
would, because she had not black eyes. Where- 
upon she went and communicated her grief* to 
her confessor; the good father, whom she had 
chosen to be the director of her conscience, bid 
her not to afflict herself, and that if she would 
but bring him all the jewels and, great pieces 
of gold which her husband kept very snug 
in his closet, he would, by his prayers, obtain 
for her of God, the favour of having black 
eyes. The lady, in the earnest desire she had 
of becoming more beautiful and pleasing to her 
husband, followed her conj'essoj's direction, and 
brought him the jewels and gold, according to 
his desire : but her husband missing them soon 
after, and perceiving by the ambiguous and un- 
certain ansivers of his wife, that she must be 
guilty of the theft, beat her most outragiously* 



OF PREStsHLYG, §c 255 

and to make her confess , how she had disposed 
of them, made her black and blue all over with 
the strokes he had given her. The poor lady in 
this pitiful condition, with tears in her eyes, re- 
turned to her confessor, to acquaint him how ill 
$he had sped with his advice, and to re-demand 
her jewels ; but the confessor absolutely ref used 
to restore them to her, maintaining, that now 
they were his own, according to the bargain 
and contract made between them ; forasmuch 
as she could not deny, but she had obtained 
her desire, and got black eyes with a vengeance, 
as indeed they were with the strokes and bruises 
her husband had given her. 

What think you, Sir, was not this a pretty story 
to be told from a pulpit on Easter-day ? It be- 
ing moreover very probable, that this was only 
an invented tale. Thus these wretched monks, 
instead of dispensing- the word of truth to the 

}>eople, ordinarily feed them with nothing but 
ies. 

I suppose, Sir, you will not take it ill, if I ven- 
ture upon another strict digression, referring* to 
another pleasant custom observed in Italy, viz. 
that of blessing eggs at Easter, which are of 
great virtue to sanctify both soul and body. On 
Easter-eve and Easter-day, all the heads of fa- 
milies send great chargers full of hard eggs to 
the church, to get them blest, which the priests 
perform by saying several appointed prayers, 
and making great signs of the cross over them 
and sprinkling them with holy-water. The priest 
having finished the ceremony, demands, how 
many dozen eggs there be in every bason ? to 
the end he may know, how many of them come 
to his share ; and sometimes are so honest as to 
take three or four out of every dozen, especially 
when they know the persons that send them 

Z 2 to 




256 THE SIXfM LETTER, 

to be wealthy. There be some of the poorer 
sort who are apt to cry, when they see the priest 
take more than his due, or pick out the fairest 
or greatest of them. These blest eggs have the 
virtue of sanctifying the entrails of the body, 
and are to be the first fat or fleshy nourishment 
they take after the abstinence of Lent. The 
Italians do not only abstain from flesh during 
Lent, but also from egg's, cheese, butter, and all 
white meats. As soon as the eg*gs are blest, every 
one carries his portion home, and causeth a large 
table to be set in the best room they have in 
the house, which they cover with their best li- 
nen, all bestrewed with flowers ; and placed 
round about a dozen dishes of meat, and the 
great charger of eggs in the midst. It is a 
very pleasant sight to see these tables set forth 
in the houses of great persons, where they ex- 
pose on side-board tables (round about the cham- 
ber) all the plate they have in the house, and 
whatsoever else they have that is rich and cu- 
rious, in honour to their Easter eggs; which of 
themselves yield a very fair shew ; for the shells 
of them are all painted with divers colours and 
gilt. Sometimes there are no less than twenty 
dozen in the same charger, neatly laid together 
in form of a pyramid. The table continues in 
the same posture covered all the Easter week, 
and all that come to visit them within that time, 
are invited to eat an Easter egg with them, 
which they must not refuse. 

I return now again to my sermons, upon which 
subject I have this only further to add, that 
there is yet another sort of preachers, who only 
preach before the nuns grates. These are finical 
preachers, of a sweet countenance, and commonly 
all of them handsome young monks : for except 
beauty and sweetness do meet in a preacher, 
the nuns who have the choice of them, will have 

none 



OF PREACHING, §c 257 

none of him. All the study of these men is, to 
find out pretty words, and he most tender and 
affectionate expressions, and frequently to en- 
large themselves in praise of the nuns, to whom 
they preach. I have heard many of these sort 
of preachers, and amongst the rest a young- 
monk at Mihuu preacher to the Benedictine 
nuns of the monastery called ihe3Iagiore. Scarce- 
ly could this monk speak three words together 
without some expression of the high value and 
love he had for them: My most dear and lovely 
sisters, whom I love from the deepest bottom 
of my heart, said he, which was almost the 
constant appendix of every sentence he utter- 
ed : so that having recollected all his sermon 
with myself, I found that the upshot (in a man- 
ner) of all that he had said, was, That he loved 
them the most tenderly and affectionately that 
could be. When once a monk has the good hap 
to become a preacher to the nuns, and that he 
is liked by them, he may promise himself an 
happy time of it ever after, and that he shall 
spend the rest of his days in a voluptuous de- 
licacy and tenderness ; for the nuns have no- 
thing so much upon their hearts, as to procure 
all manner of ease to their directors and preach- 
ers, to the end, to make them the more in- 
dulgent towards them. They allow them great 
pensions every year; they provide them with li- 
nen, and furnish them with dry and w r et sweet- 
meats, and send them every day a dish of what 
they judge most pleasing and delicate, which 
they call the Preacher's Dish. So that indeed, 
it is no difficult thing for these handsome monks 
to declare from their pulpits the extraordinary 
love they have for their tender nurses, and to 
be so lavish in their praising of them. 

This way of praising others from the pulpit, 
puts me in mind of another custom the monks 

Z 3 have 



258 TEE SIXTH LETTER, 

have introduced, to praise one another publicly 
on certain days of the year, which is commonly 
the feast of their blessed founders. Thus, for 
example, on the feast of S. Ignatus de Loyola, 
founder of the order of the Jesuits, they make 
the panegiric of that saint in all their churches, 
and after having enlarged themselves in the 
praise of their patriarchs, they proceed to that 
of his children and disciples, that is, all those 
that follow his rule, and more particularly of the 
fathers of that convent where the sermon is 
preached. But forasmuch as according to the 
common proverb,. Proprio laus sordet in ore ; 
That it is a base thing to praise one's self : 
they employ a religious of some other order to 
preach in their churches on that day. It is a 
thing but too notorious, that the monks do mor- 
tally hate one another ; however, the desire of 
being 1 praised themselves in their turn, prevail- 
ing beyond their hatred, makes them to under- 
take these otherwise unpleasing panegyrics. The 
Dominicans do publicly praise the Jesuits, and 
the Jesuits the Dominicans ; and so for the rest. 
They all agree, that these are the most difficult 
sermons of all others, and that rarely one comes 
off with credit and applause, partly by reason of 
the too insatiable desire of the one party, to be 
praised beyond measure ; and partly because it 
goes against the grain with the other, to praise 
them, which makes one in the midst of their en- 
comiums, to discover something of force and con- 
straint, that evidenceth the falseness of them. In- 
deed, how is it possible to praise those heartily 
whose hearts one wisheth out of their bodies. 

A Cordelier preaching the day of S. Francis 
Xavier, in the church of S. Lucia, belonging to 
the Father Jesuits of Bononia, praised them very 
pleasantly, attributing elogies to them, diametri- 
cally opposite to their own qualities and practice. 

Do 



OF PKEACH1XG, $c. 250 

Do you see (said he) the reverend fathers the 
Jesuits of this house, they are the best men that 
lire on the earth: they are as modest as angels. 
They never open their eyes, to cast a look upon 
the ladies at church ; they are such extraordi- 
nary lovers of retirement, that one never sees 
them in the streets; they are so in love with po- 
verty, that they dispise and trample on all the 
riches of the world ; they never come near dying 
persons or widows, to importune them to be re- 
membered in their last trills ; they never concern 
themselves in making up of marriages; they ne- 
ver go to compliment the cardinal legate, or the 
cardinal archbishop. And in this manner lie ran 
over every particular of their behaviour and con- 
duct. All that were in the church laughed at this 
pretty way of commending' them the Cordelier 
had lighted on ; but the Jesuits were galled to 
the heart, and put to the utmost confus on. The 
Cordelier having ended his sermon, came down 
from the pulpit, and instead of going to the Je- 
suit's convent, there *o be entertained, (according 
to the custom of preachers in the like case) he 
went directly to the gate; it seems, he feared 
their giving of him the lash, and (I suppose) 
that to avoid their revenge, he never afterwards 
would appear in the city of Bononia. 

This, Sir, is the substance of what I had to 
write to you concerning^ the manner of preach- 
ing, and the behaviour of the preachers in Italy; 
it remains now, that I should oppose to them 
the way of preaching used by our Protestant 
ministers, and their profound and solid sermons ; 
but lest you should accuse me of being too la* 
vish in praising my own party, I shall at present 
content myself with telling you, That they de- 
clare to the people the word of God,with a great 
deal of modesty and reference ; and what is the 
chief est of all, they always keep close to the truth 



•260 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

and purity of the gospel, in which I desire to 
live and die. I wish you the same grace, and am, 

Sir, with all my heart, 

Your most humble Servant, $-c. 



LETTER VII. 

OF THE PROCESSIONS OF ITALY, $C. 



Sir, 

Having passed the Lent time at Rome, I de- 
parted thence some weeks after Easter, with an 
intent of 'returning to France. I took my journey 
through that part of the Great Duke of Tuscan 
ny?s country, which borders upon the patrimony 
of S. Peter, or the Pope's dominions. The en- 
trance into the Duke's territories, is by i7 re de 
Caphani, which is a very high mountain, sur- 
rounded with many great woods, and is a very 
proper place for hunting ; where I saw several 
cardinals, who diverted themselves at that sport. 
From hence it is two days journey to Sienna : 
in my way thither, I met nothing but proces- 
sions all along the road. It is an ancient cus- 
tom established in the Roman Church, to cele- 
brate frequent processions after Easter, which 
they call Rogations, in order to implore the 
blessing of God upon the fruits of the earth. The 
year wherein I took this journey, there was a 
more pressing need of it than ordinary, because 
of the great draught which threatened a scarcity. 

A procession, according to the definition of 
the Papists, is, A xoalkinq^ or marching of peo- 
ple 



OF PROCESSIONS, $c* 261 

pie from one church to another, under the con- 
duet of the priests, assisting with the cross and 
banner, there to invoke by the intercession of 
some he or she saint, the extraordinary assist- 
ance of God. These processions are sometimes 
two or three days a marching before they come 
to the place designed ; and when" they have 
once dispatched the singing' of their Litanies, 
they play the fools as much as the pilgrims in 
their pilgrimaging do, according- to the account 
I have already given you in a former Letter : 
so that I wanted no divertisement all the way 
from Re de Caphani, till I came to Sienna, whi- 
ther all these processions were going. Only I 
found great inconvenience when I came to my 
inn; because, whenever these processions pass, 
they cause great scarcity, by reason of the great 
numbers that compose them. Being come to 
Sienna, I enquired what church it w as to which 
all these devotions were designed ; and was told, 
that they all went to a church of our Lady, 
where they had lately uncovered a miraculous 
image of the Virgin ; which w T as only done at 
the end of every forty years. My curiosity in- 
vited me to take a view of it; but the throng 
of people was so great, that 1 had much ado to 
crowd into the church. They told me, That this 
thronging concourse had already continued for 
eight days (for so long- the image had been un- 
veiled) and that after eight days more, it was 
to be veiled again with a great deal of solem- 
nity. I took an exact view of this image, which 
was about a foot broad, and a foot and an half 
high, the countenance of it representing that of 
a very young girl; neither could I find any 
thing- extraordinary in it, for which it might 
seem to deserve the adorations they gave it. I 
enquired of the priests that served this church 
what mi^ht be the reason that this image was 



■262 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

only unveiled once in forty years'? but tliey 
could give no better than this, That it had been 
a custom observed time out of mind; and that 
they believed the first rise of it icas, an order 
given by the Virgin herself for so doing. 

I have in Italy seen a vast number of these 
sorts of veiled images, not only of the Virgin, 
but also of the crucifix, and all other saints; and 
I can say with truth, that there is scarcely a 
church to be met with, which hath not two or 
three of them. Sometimes we met with great 
pictures in their churches, where several saints 
are represented, and amongst them one only 
having his or her face veiled, that being the 
mysterious saint. The secret of which intrigue, 
as far as I could pierce into, by the use the 
priests and monks make of it, is plainly tbis : 
they find this way admirably well suited to ad- 
vance their temporal profit. The things we see 
every day become too common with us, and 
make little or no impression, by reason of the 
familiarity of them to our imagination. There 
be some parts of the world, where they have 
six months of night, and six months of day ; 
so that their whole years consists but of a day 
and a night. Now, we are told, that the inha- 
bitants of these countries, assemble themselves 
in crowds, to see the sun rise ; whereas, m 
these lands, where the sun riseth every day, 
we do not find people concern themselves to be 
present at his rising; and by a parity of rea- 
son we may conclude, that the images and sta- 
tues of the Church of Rome, would make no 
great impression on the minds of the people, 
or be powerful enough to induce the opening 
of their purse-strings, if the priests had not 
found out this ingenious invention of making 
them more rare, and therefore the more desir- 
ed* Yea, it seems also, that the long time of 

veiling, 



OF PROCESSIONS, $c. 263 

veiling 1 , begets something of a greater venera- 
tion for them, and that the Roman Catholics im- 
agine, that when after so long- a time they are 
uncovered, they meet with in those pictures, 
images, and statues, something more august and 
divine than ordinary. 

In a word, they all believe and lake it for 
granted, that when 'these are unveiled here on 
earth., the saints whom they represent, become 
more liberal in heaven, and more favourably in- 
clined to grant their vows and prayers. Thus 
you see whither superstition, or rather folly will 
run, when those who ought to be the most zea- 
lous to overthrow it; I mean the clergy, are the 
chief contrivers of ways and methods to foster and 
encourage it. The profit which from hence ac- 
crues to the priests is very great, as you will 
be able to conceive from what I shall tell you of 
this our Lady of Sienna. 

I spent nine or ten days in this city, and so 
had the leisure frequently to visit this church 
of the Virgin; I confess, I cannot give you an 
exact account of the presents I saw there offer- 
ed ; and therefore shall content myself to tell 
you, that I do not believe any single person 
entered the church without giving- something 
considerable. And to encourage the people the 
more in their liberality, to exceed and outstrip 
one another, the priests had the cunning to pre- 
pare a place railed in with balustrades, near to 
the altar of the Virgin ; where they exposed to 
view, part of the presents the people had offered. 
Here were to be seen a vast quantity of whole 
pieces of cloths and fine linen, handkerchiefs, 
shifts, many rich jewels, and in particular, a 
prodigious number of great tapers of white vir- 
gin-wax, whereof some of them could weigh no 
less than 50 pounds a piece, the least of them 
being about four or five pound each, with the 

names 



264 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

names of the donors upon them. As for the mo- 
ney that was given, I suppose the priests put 
it into their own pockets, parting- it amongst 
themselves; for though the people were conti- 
nually pouring in money into the basins, yet 
some hours after they were seen all empty. 
Some Spanish priests, that were travelling home- 
wards, having presented themselves to say mass 
in the raid church, whilst they were in the sex- 
try, had rings presented to them by some of 
the country gentry, who supposed them to be 
priests, belonging to that church, and had desir- 
ed them to get them fastened to some particular 
picture ; but they conceived it more convenient, 
to put them into their own pockets, and being 
got out of the church, prosecuted their journey 
with a great deal of cheerfulness for the booty 
they had so happily light on : one of them said 
merrily, That he found no scruple in himself at 
all, for having committed this lawful piece of 
robbery, as being in much more want than the 
image of the Virgin, who had ?to need either to 
eat or drink as he had. 

The following Sunday, all the inhabitants of 
Sienna, and neighbouring places met together in 
different bodies, according 4 as they were distin- 
guished by their trade and callings ; and all of 
them together made a great procession to the 
church of Our Lady, every company marching 
under its own cross and banner, different from 
the rest, as under their proper standard. The 
cohlers, as being' inferior to the rest, went first 
of all; the arms pourtrayed on their banner, 
were two aids placed salter-wise : these were 
followed by the shoe-makers, and so all the rest 
in their order. After every banner followed a 
man, carrying a great wax taper, which was 
that of the company, being all gilt, and adorned 
with ribbands and flowers, with a great escutcheon 

upou 



OF PROCESSIONS, c y c. 265 

upon it. Besides which, every member of each 
society or company (which the Italians call Scuole) 
had their own tapers of about three or four pounds 
apiece. After the cross, banner, and a taper, 
came a man in a surplice, carrying- a great purse, 
fastened to the end of a fine great staff, curiously 
g ilt and painted, which contained the sum of money 
that each company were to present to the image 
of the Virgin, Some of these had about tea 
crowns apiece in them, and others twenty, more 
or less, according to the ability of each profes- 
sion. In the purse belonging to the company 
of merchants, there were at least two hundred 
crowns, as I was informed by one of the merchants 
themselves. 

All these companies do not assist at these pro* 
cessions only in their ordinary clothes, as having 
over them great vests of fine linen, dyed of dif- 
ferent colours, to distinguish the companies one 
from another; these they have girt about them 
with curious girdles, and upon the breast or arms, 
the device or escutcheon of their society; and 
have besides, a great cowl, hanging down on 
their backs. After the company of merchants, 
followed all the religious orders that are in the 
city or neighbouring places, which are very nu- 
merous : they marched according to their antiqui- 
ty, or standing in the city. 

It is on such occasions as these, one may be di- 
verted with the most pleasant variety of extrava- 
gant dresses that can be imagined : some are 
dressed in grey, others in brown, and others again 
in black, &c. and all with their frocks and cowls 
shaped in different fashions, the pattern of most 
of which they pretend to have received from no 
meaner a hand than that of the Virgin, or even 
God himself. Every one of these religious or- 
ders went under their own cross and banner, the 
difference only was, that their banners were not 

A A followed 



266 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 
followed by either taper or purse, they leaving 
that ceremony to the seculars ; as being very 
well pleased to see them bring plentifully to 
their churches, and are not wanting to encou- 
rage them thereto by all the devices and ways 
imaginable ; but as for them, they take special 
care the seculars shall never be a farthing the 
better for them. 

It would be an easy matter one would think, 
for the Italians to reflect a little on these prac- 
tices, if once they were willing; but that it is 
w hich puts out their eyes, that they are unwill- 
ing* to discover the cheat. For to speak the 
truth, Sir, what does hinder these monks, that 
are so rich, and most of which have great re- 
venues belonging- to them, which they so pro- 
digally spend at taverns and bawdy-houses, what 
hinders them, say I, from making up a purse 
amongst themselves, as well as the seculars, and 
to be at the charge of a great taper to present 
to the Virgin, as weir as they; but that they 
do not find themselves in the humour, to fur- 
nish other priests with money, as knowing but 
too well, how they usod to spend it? And yet, 
if the poor seculars should entertain the same 
thoughts of them, they would at the tribunal of 
their confession, condemn such reflections as a 
great impiety and sacrilege. 

After the monks, or regular clergy, followed 
the secular clergy, viz. the priests, curates, and 
canons, who all appeared likewise with empty 
hands. The cardinal-archbishop, was somewhat 
indisposed, who, if he had been there, I am sure 
he would, like all the rest, have assisted all the 
ceremony, without either purse or taper. Both 
these orders of the clergy were followed by the 
magistrates of the city, and the officers of jus- 
tice, all in their robes of ceremony, with their 
tapers and purses. And last of all, the whole 

procession 



OF PROCESSIONS, $c. 267 

procession was concluded with a company of 
young' gentlemen and swords-men. 

This procession marched on towards the Church 
of our Lady in very good order, at the sound of 
trumpets and drums, and the air resounding with 
continual ora pro nobis. All their wax-tapers and 
purses were left in the church in the hands of 
the priests, by which you may guess the great 
advantage they make of these pageantries. For 
(as the Spaniard said very well) the image does 
not stand in need either of meat or drink, and 
none but men can make use of the money, and 
other presents offered to it. 

Two or three days after, as children please 
themselves in imitating the practices of their el- 
ders, the boys and girls of the town assembled 
themselves in companies. The school-boys and 
young girls got their masters and mistresses to 
conduct them to our Lady's Church. They made 
purses of about two or three crowns apiece ; so that 
about two days after the great procession, one 
could scarcely walk through the streets of Si- 
enna; for the boys had got great cords, which they 
held at both ends, stretched out, to make all 
those that had a mind to pass, to give somewhat 
to make up their purses. Afterwards they pro- 
vided themselves with wax-tapers, little crosses 
and banners, and so went by way of procession 
to the church, where the priests gave them a 
very kind reception, weeping' for joy, to see so 
good beginning in such tender and young years. 

The sixth day they covered the image with a 
pomp and magnificence altogether extraordina- 
ry ; at which time there was a great concourse 
of the nobility and gentry of the city and coun- 
try. The confluence was so extraordinary, that 
they were forced to set a guard at the doors of 
the church, who suffered none to enter, but per- 

A a 2 sons 



268 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

sons of appearance and qualify. I heard an old 
gentleman, who with a great sense of devotion 
blessed God with a loud voice, That he had 
vouchsafed him the happiness of having seen 
the same miraculous image two and twenty times 
uncovered during his life time. I was some- 
what surprized at this expression of his ; for 
had it been true, that the image (as was said) 
had not been uncovered more than once in forty 
years, it must have followed, that at that rate, 
this gentleman must be more aged than Methu- 
salem. But I was informed afterwards, that 
there seldom passed a year, wherein (upon some 
emergency or other, requiring it) the said image 
was not uncovered. This gave me a full notion 
of the cunning- of the priests, who to procure 
the vogue and devotion of the people for some 
of their images, do veil them, withal, declar- 
ing* them to be miraculous, and so transcend- 
antly holy, that it is not lawful to expose 
them to public and common view, more than 
once in several years time, except it be upon 
some extraordinary emergent necessity: and yet, 
as soon as they see that their device has ta- 
ken, that the devotion of the people is kindled, 
and that their profit is sure, they have not the 
patience themselves to stay out the time of their 
own prefixing, before they discover these their Lu- 
criferous mysteries ; but they lay bold of the op- 
portunity of the first drought, or wet season, and 
declare, that necessity having no law; and 
the fruits of the eaith being in great danger, they 
are forced to uncover the image sooner than they 
had designed. 

And thus an image or statue, which according 
to the first institution, was not to be exposed more 
than once in forty years, is set forth almost every 
year. Which proceeding of theirs, is so far from 

being 



OF PROCESSIONS, $c. 26.9 

being suspected by the deluded laity, that it gains 
them a great deal of reputation, and the esteem 
of very good and honest men, full of compas- 
sion, and extremely desirous to obviate and pre- 
vent (as far as in them lies) all public calamities. 
The monks and priests do both of them perfectly 
well agree and harmonize in this point ; for they 
have all of them some hidden idol or other in 
their churches, which they uncover at certain in- 
tervals of time, each in their due order, without 
interfering or clashing one with another, playing 
hodie mihi 9 eras tibi. 

In those monasteries where the abbots, priors, 
and guardians are triennial, they have taken up 
the custom of vouchsafing this favour to the 
public, at their first arrival in the monastery, 
and this commonly either by exposing the Holy 
Sacrament for three days together, or by unco- 
vering same miraculous image or other. Neither 
doth the idol lose a whit of credit or repute for 
all this, because it is looked upon as an extraor- 
dinary occasion, and ceased not to pass in the 
minds of the people for a mystery not to be ex- 
posed, but once in such an interval of years. This 
was the rareeshow I was entertained with at Si- 
enna, which at present is one of the most super- 
stitious cities in all Italy, and is commonly 
called, by way of prerogative and excellence, 
Sienna the Devout. This city also is very famous 
fof the purity of language, the best Italian, 
without contradiction being spoken here. 

After I had visited all the places of devo- 
tion that are in it, I prosecuted my journey, and 
passing a second time through Tuscany and Flo- 
rence, after two great days journey, I came to 
Bononia, which is a very fine city. Formerly 
this place was a common-wealth ; but at pre- 
sent the Popes have reduced it to their obedi- 
ence, and have a legate there, who commands 

A a 3 in 



270 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

in their name. On the great gate of the legate's 
palace, which is a very ancient structure, is a 
statue of stone, representing a woman with a 
tiara, or triple papal crown upon her head. They 
of Bononia say, this figure represents religion ; 
but it seems with more probability to be a sta- 
tue of Pope Joan : for that it is not the former 
appears from hence, because the principal marks 
with which the Papists set forth religion, are 
wanting in this statue, viz. a cross in the one 
hand, and a chalice with the host in the other. 
Two days after my arrival at Bononia, I went 
to take a view of the fair and renowned abbey 
of S. Michael in Boso, situate on a pleasant hilf, 
about two musquet shot from the city. It seems 
to have been placed on that eminence, to be seen 
and admired by all Italy. v Above all other places 
this is peculiarly famous for the curious paintings 
that embellish it, Car ache > Guido, Rhenus, and 
many other famous painters, seeming' to have de- 
posited in this building, the whole curiosity and 
perfection of their art, to make it more reconi- 
mendable to posterity. The religious that dwell 
here, are Olivetan Monks : they profess the rule 
of S. Bennet, and are habited in white. 

As I was taking a view of the painting of the 
grottos, or of the first cloister, which is built 
with right angles, the abbot taking a walk af- 
ter dinner with some of his religious, by an ex- 
traordinary piece of civility drew near to me 
and took the pains himself to explain to me 
the pictures, which represent some very consi- 
derable particularities of the life of their legis- 
lator S. Bennet. After which he conducted me to 
their library, which is all curiously painted, and 
furnished with very good and fairly bound books, 
and certainly is, one of the neatest I have seen 
in Italy. Where being entered into discourse 
concerning some of those books, the abbot made 

a proffer 



OF PROCESSIONS, £c. 271 

a proffer to me of staying in the said abbey, 
and teaching humanity and rhetoric to his religi- 
ons, telling me, That if I thought c/ood to accept 
of it, I should he enteriaiued at his oicn table, 
and enjoy a very competent allowance. Though 
at this time I had no design of staying in Ita- 
ly, and that I was now actually engaged in my 
journey for France: yet this occasion so favour- 
ably presenting itself, and meeting with a strong* 
inclination in me, to acquire a further perfection 
in the Italian tongue, after two or three days 
respite, I had desired of the abbot, to consider 
of it, I accepted of his offer. He appointed me 
a very good salary, and assigned me twelve of 
his young monks for my pupils. They were al- 
most all of them either earls or marqnisses ; for 
these fathers receive none into their society, but 
persons of the highest quality. I continued two 
whole years in this employment, during which 
time I received a thousand marks of kindness 
and civility from my young religious scholars, 
besides the continual experience I had of the 
bounty and generosity of the noble prelate. 

You cannot doubt, Sir, but that by this means 
I had the fairest opportunity I could wish for, 
to penetrate all the secrets of monkery ; for they 
kept nothing from me; and though I was not 
one of them, yet I lived and continually con- 
versed with them, neither was any thing hid from 
me. Wherefore, I may say, without boasting, 
that I can speak of the monastic way of living 
upon good grounds, which I intend to do in my 
next Letter to you. As for this I have now in 
hand, as I have already begun is, with giving 
you some account of the manner of their proces- 
sions, so I intend to prosecute the same subject, 
and the rather, because I find here in this city, 
matter enough to stuff it out, and such as is very 
curious too; and therefore hope, that the reci- 



272 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

tal I shall make of it, will not prove unaccept- 
able or tedious to you. I shall begin with the 
processions which are celebrated during the Oc- 
tave, or week of the Holy "Sacrament in the city 
of Bononia: the feast of the Holy Sacrament 
having been instituted on purpose to make the 
host to triumph, as the Papists say, they omit 
nothing- that may render that day, and week 
following, the most pompous and solemn that 
maybe. They make many fine processions, and 
carry the consecrated host, which, they say, is 
the living body of our Saviour Jesus Christ, 
through their streets, with very magnificent shew s 
and ceremonies. 

In France, it is a custom on this occasion, to 
adorn, the fronts of houses with curious tape- 
stries, and to strew the streets with flowers and 
sweet smelling herbs. They erect oratories, or 
repositories, as they call them, at certain dis- 
tances, there to repose the Holy Sacraments, as 
if it were very weary with the march it had 
taken. They dress up abundance of little chil- 
dren like angels, to strew flowers in the way be- 
fore it, and to incense it : and in a word, they 
make a thousand idolatrous prostrations and ado- 
rations to it. In Germany they adorn all their 
streets with the branches of trees on both sides 
of them, by this means, turning their cities into 
parks, or forests, or rather into fine gardens, 
whereof every street represents along walk, as 
far as one could see, all set with trees and ver- 
dure. But Italy being the most ingenious of them 
all, as well as the most superstitious, does by 
many degrees excel all other nations that profess 
the Roman Catholic religion ; and the city of 
Bononia exceeds the rest of Italy, in her fa- 
mous celebration of the Octave of the Holy Sa- 
crament. 

Besides the great general procession, which is 

made 



OF PROCESSIONS, §c 273 

made throughout that city, the Thursday after Tri- 
nity day, (which is the day appointed for their 
feast) at which all the clergy, both regular and 
secular, with all the magistrates of the city do 
assist; there are every year three parishes ap- 
pointed to furnish and make the preparative for 
the Octave; and having* discharged their turn, 
they are quit of that expence for twelve or four- 
teen years after, until all the rest have had 
theirs ; this being a very chargeable office. About 
a fortnight or three weeks before the feast, they 
barricado all the entries of the streets of those pa- 
rishes, to hinder horses and carts from passing 
that way, that the workmen may apply them- 
selves to their work without disturbance. The 
chief work, and that which is most painful, and 
takes up most time, is to cover all the streets and 
walls with veils of silk, which are the manufac- 
tory of that city, and to form them into figures 
and histories. The several parishes, when their 
turn comes, strive to outvy one another in some 
new invention or other. Some with these little 
veils represent all manner of birds, others all 
four-footed beasts, insomuch that a man cannot so 
much as imagine any whole figure that is not to be 
found there. Others endeavoured to represent in 
the said silken figures, huntings, battles, tri- 
umphs, and in a word, an infinite variety of things 
extremely pleasing to the eye. Moreover, they 
expose to public view in the streets, all the most 
curious pictures which the inhabitants of those 
parishes are masters of, not excepting the profane 
ones themselves ; amongst which are to be seen 
many infamous naked pictures and grotesques to 
cause laughter. 

The Bononians are extremely curious in pic- 
tures ; all their closets, halls, and chambers, are 
full hung with them; and forasmuch as they ex- 
pose them to public view at this time, travellers 

meet 



274 the: se venth letter, 

meet with the satisfaction of seeing- very rare 
and curious pieces of art. Over and above all 
this, altars are erected almost in every corner 
of the streets, set forth and adorned with sta- 
tues, images, and vessels of gold and silver, and 
upon every altar, there is always a representa- 
tion to the life of some mystery of our religion, 
or of some saint. The houses of the lords of 
those parishes, that furnish the ornament of the 
feast, are open to all : as long as this feast lasts, 
they take care to adorn their chambers the most 
sumptuously they can, and to expose all their 
riches to view. T here be some of them so splen- 
did and liberal, to bestow cooling liquors, call- 
ed Sorbett, and upon all comers, or at least upon 
all persons who appear never so little consider- 
able ; and in their courts or gardens, they have 
fountains running with wine in great abundance 
for the common people. 

All things being thus prepared, the procession 
begins : this is a work on which the priests ex- 
haust their invention, and rack their brains to 
bring forth something new and unlooked for, 
that may please spectators. They dress up a great 
many little children like angels, with wings at 
their backs; they make very lively representa- 
tions of all the figures and types mentioned in 
the Old Testament, which they conceive did 
prefigure their Holy Sacraments, as Abraham's 
sacrificing his son Isaac, the offering of Melchi- 
sedec, the Shew-bread, the Paschal Lamb, fyc. 
They represent all the prophets and sibyls, that 
have prophesied of Our Saviour : and last of all, they 
make a shew of the Blessed Virgin, the Twelve 
Apostles, and Our Saviour, who follows them with 
a loaf in his hand, as if he were about to break 
it as he did at the celebration of his Holy Sup- 
per. Besides these, they also give us the repre- 
sentations of many of their he and she saints, 

wh ich 



OF PROCESSIONS, cjc 275 

which were most devoted to tile Holy Sacrament, 
•as S. Thomas Aquinas; Anthony, of Padua; 
S. Rose, of Viterbo, &c. AH these they represent 
not in figures to the life, but living figures, that 
is young boys and girls, causing the prettiest and 
handsomest they can meet with. Above all, I 
took notice of many little S. John Baptists, 
amongst them. To represent these S. John Bap- 
tists, they take little children of four or five 
years of age, strip them stark naked, and put no- 
thing upon them besides a coloured ribband, 
which like a belt reached from their right shoul- 
der to their left thigh, so as it doth not hinder 
their nakedness from being- exposed to public 
view. It is not now only, that the Italians are 
accused of equally loving* both sexes, so that no 
body needs to be surprized at their having so 
great a devotion to these little S. Johns, of whom 
I very well remember, I counted no less than 
twenty in one procession, following one another. 
In one hand they hold a great cross, made of 
reed, and very light ; and with the other, they 
lead a little lamb in a string. After all this pa- 
geantry, follow the priests in magnificent habits, 
and next to them, follows the Holy Sacrament, 
which is carried under a rich canopy, surround- 
ed with an infinite number of young boys and 
girls, attired like angels, who all the way strew 
flowers before it. Near to the canopy, there is 
always an excellent company of musicians, who 
sing hymns and songs of the Holy Sacrament, be- 
ing those the Church of Rome has composed since 
the Council of Trent, in honour of it. The cano- 
py is followed by the principal men of the pa- 
rish, and after them, to shut up all, a vast crowd 
of people of all sorts. In this manner they walk 
our Lord, (to use their own expression) through- 
out all the streets of the parish : but yet so, as to 
give him leave to expose himself at the end of 

every 



270 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

every street, on the altars erected for that pur- 
pose. 

When the procession is ended, they do not for 
all that take away the adorning* of their streets, 
but leave them whole and entire for many days ; 
to give the citizens leave to view them at their 
leisure, and to walk the same round the proces- 
sion took, for in so doing, they believe they shall 
merit much, and obtain great indulgences. All 
the Sbirries of the legate and archbishop, do 
guard all these pageants all night, to prevent 
the ..stealing of them. And it is chiefly at night, 
that the gentlemen and ladies of the town walk 
abroad to take a view of them, because then 
they make the finest shew, all the streets being* 
illuminated with a vast number of white wax- 
tapers, set thick in every corner which very much 
exalt the splendour of those rich and pompous 
ornaments. Here it is they court their mis- 
tresses and make assignations, and dispatch notes 
to one another, and in the end, always some miser- 
able wretch or other, is left a cold victim on 
the ground, to the revenge of his enemies, or 
the jealousy of his rivals. All the ladies of plea- 
sure, in a particular manner, never fail of com- 
ing- thither towards evening, where they con- 
tinue till they have got their prey. In a word, 
it appears that the most innocent are those who 
repair thither only to satisfy their eyes, or please 
their curiosity; for as for devotion, there is not 
so much as the least shadow of it to be discern- 
ed amongst them. Thus are these fine gaudy 
feasts, instituted on purpose to confound the 
Protestants, which in a short time, by a just judg- 
ment of God, become the shame and confusion 
of Papists themselves; and I have reason to fear 
that our Lord Jesus will tell them to their faces, 
at the great day in which he will come ta judge 
both the quick and the dead, that his soul has 

abhorred 



OF PROCESSIONS, 277 

abhorred the feast, and that their incense has 
been an abomination unto him, because, instead 
of advancing* his glory by them, as they seem to 
pretend, they have only endeavoured to satisfy 
their own curiosity, vanity, and infamous lusts. 

I have been a spectator of many other proces- 
sions, made in honour of the Holy -Sacrament, at 
Venice, Milan, and other parts of Italy ; but I 
will not take up time to give the particulars of 
them, because they generally are the same thing- 
over again ; except only, that their adornings of 
the streets are not so curious, neither continue so 
long a titne as those at Bononia. I cannot find 
that the priests reap any great benefit from these 
processions, but on the contrary are at the 
charges of adorning their churches and altars : 
but however, they hereby gain much credit and 
repute to their priesthood and masses; and they 
appear at them with so much majesty, and dress- 
ed with such pompous ornaments and habiliments, 
that it makes the people conceive a greater ve- 
neration for their persons. However, they know 
well how to repay themselves this charge they 
are at upon other occasions. It is but unveiling one 
of their miraculous images, when they have a 
mind to reimburse themselves double and tre- 
ble. And probably it is for this very reason, that 
at Bononia, (a short time after the Octave of the 
Holy Sacrament) they make that great ceremony 
and procession of our Lady of S. Luke. To give 
you some idea of it, I shall tell you that about 
five miles from Bononia, upon an high hill called 
the Mount de la Guardia, stands a church, where- 
in is kept an image of the Virgin, which the Pa- 
pists tell us was painted by S. Luke himself, The 
priests have so bestirred themselves, as to per- 
suade the magistrates to put the city under her 
protection, giving her the title of their Patroness 
and Conservatrix j Patrona $ Conservatrix Bo~ 

B B nonice* 



278 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

iioni They have caused a coin to be stamped 
in Ijonour of her, which on the one side bears 
the representation of the image pretendedly 
painted by S. Luke, and on the reverse, the arms 
of the city, which piece of money they call a 
Madonnin. The magistrates have made a vow, to 
go and fetch this image every year, and carry it 
in procession : they bring* it from Mount de la 
Gnardia to the town, to the end she may bless its 
inhabitants. 

Many days before this solemnity, great prepa- 
rations are made to fetch her off in trrimph. Hav- 
ing' got her into the city, they make her stay 
there three days, during- which time they remove 
her to two or three churches. Where the peo- 
ple flock in throngs to visit her, and offer 
great presents, all which accrue to the profit 
of the priests of those churches. After that they 
have sufficiently idolized this image, or picture, 
they oblige her to give her blessing- to all the 
people. To this purpose, they fasten the pic- 
ture to great staves or poles, supported by men ; 
and lifting- it up on high, they make it bow and 
incline towards the people, as if she saluted them. 
This done, they lift her up a little higher, and 
incline her downwards again; and then stoop her 
down towards the right and left, that she may 
make the sign of the cross over all the people 
that are present; and this, forsooth, is her bless- 
ing of the people. To receive this benediction 
with the greater reverence, all the people are 
down upon their knees, with their faces bowed 
down to the ground. All this while the trum- 
pets and drums do wonders. And after this 
ceremony is over, she is conducted back again, 
in the same processional way, to the place of 
her abode, where she continues all the year af- 
ter, excepting some public calamity oblige the 
magistrates to permit the bringing of her extra- 
ordinarily 



OF PROCESSIONS, Ac 279 

ordinarily to the city in procession, for in that 
case they believe she will not fail of redressing 
all the evils they can lie under. Every Satur- 
day there is a vast concourse of people conies 
to this image from the city of Bononia, and ad- 
joining* places. 

To make the way more commodious for those 
devout pilgrims, the B ottomans, have undertaken 
to make a covered way, which begins at the gate 
of the city, and is intended to be carried on to 
that of the church, where the image resides. 
Above half of this way was already finished, 
when I was there. The whole is composed of 
great portico's of brick, very large and high 
roofed, the roofs being all curiously pointed, and 
the bottom is paved very neatly with great 
square bricks. When this portal is finished it 
will be one of the most curious pieces of work- 
manship that is in Italy* Many particular no- 
blemen have signalized their zeal for carrying 
on this work, having each of them made several 
arches of it at their own charges, on which they 
have caused their arms to be painted. But in 
the mean time, though this work be already so 
far advanced, yet some are afraid they shall 
never see it brought to perfection ; because the 
remaining part is the most difficult to compass, 
and will cost much more than what is already 
done; for this portal is now to be carried on 
up the mountain, till it reach the Church of our 
Lad}/, on the top of it; and to this end they 
must be obliged to dig very deep, to find firm 
ground, whereon to lay a solid foundation. A 
good curate perceiving the devotion of contri- 
buting to this vast expence, began to grow cold, 
found out a very ingenious way to excite the drow- 
zv and lethargic charities of the people, making 
use of the following device:— 

B b 2 He 



280 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

He acquainted his parishioners, That he felt 
himself inspired by the Virgin, to 'make a pro- 
cession to the Miraculous linage, with twelve wag- 
gons loadea with materials, for carrying on this 
structure; he desired them to shew their zeal in 
contributing to so good a work: and that for his 
part, he wozrfd take care to range the proces- 
sion in order, according to the model the Virgin 
had been pleased to give him in a dream His 
parishioners very punctually executed the orders 
lie had given them, loading' four waggons with 
"bricks, four with lime, and four w ith sand. The 
curate seeing their forwardness, sent every where 
for flower and sweet herbs to cover the w r aggons, 
and to make garlands for the oxen that drew 
them; he got their horns and hoofs to be gilt, 
and set himself at the head of this convoy, with a 
cross and banner, having procured several young 
girls with timbrels in their hands to play upon 
them, and dance about the waggons, as David did 
before the ark. In this equipage he passed 
through ail the streets of the city. He had the 
approbation of the Italians, who are much de- 
lighted with new and well-contrived inventions, 
and especially w 7 herein women or girls come to 
play their parts. The good success this curate 
met with, besides the general approbation, put 
all his brethren upon doing something in imi- 
tation of him, and, if possible, to go beyond him* 
So that about a fortnight after, there was to be 
seen a general procession of all the parishes with 
above 200 waggons load en with bricks, lime, and 
sand, drawn by oxen with gilded horns. I ne- 
ver saw a more extravagant procession than this 
was, nor a more pleasant one. The march ad- 
vanced in very good order, , w ith crosses, and 
banners, priests, and the girls that danced, to- 
wards our Lady of S. Luke, and helped to build 

a great 



OF PROCESSIONS, S?c< 281 

a great part of that portal. As soon as it is 
finished, they will be able to go (at all seasons, 
and in all weathers) from Bononia, to the place 
of devotion, without wetting- or dirting- them- 
selves, any more than if they were in their own 
houses. 

But that I may not wander too far from my 
subject of processions, I shall further acquaint 
you, that the Monks do far excel the Priests in 
their invention on these occasions. There is 
scarce an holiday or Sunday passeth over their 
heads, without some procession or other made in 
their monasteries. The Dominicans make a 
procession of the Rosary every first Sunday of 
the month, and tke second Sundays the Car- 
melites make one in honour of the Scapulary ; 
the third Sundays, the Soccolanti celebrate a 
procession in honour of S. Anthony of Padua. 
It is in these monkish processions that all is 
put in practice, wherewith lewdness and vanity 
are capable of inspiring the most loose and ef- 
feminate souls; so far are they from being* reli- 
gious, and fitted for devotion, as they pretend 
them to be. By the small taste I sjiall here give 
you of them, you may be able to judge of all 
the rest. I shall begin with a procession of the 
Rosary, which I saw at Venice, made by the Do- 
minicans of Castello, which was ordered in this 
manner : 

Next after the cross and banner, went about 
two or three hundred little children, dressed 
like angels, and others like little he or she 
saints, amongst which they did not forget to 
place a good number of little S. John Baptists. 
These were followed by thirty or forty young 
women, representing so many saints of their 
sex. One of them represented S. Apollina ; and 
to distinguish her from the rest, she carried in 
her hand a basin gilt and enamelled, in which 

B B 3 there 



282 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

were teeth ; another represented S. Lucia, and 
carried in a basin two eyes ; a third, S. Agnes, 
who carried in her arms a living lamb; and so 
of the rest, every one of them being- charac- 
terized by their marks of distinction. There 
were some of them that were prepared on pur- 
pose to make people laugh, and above all the 
rest, saint Genevieve, who had a lighted wax-ta- 
per in one hand, and in the other a book where- 
in she read, or at least made shew of doing 
so ; and round about her, there were seven or 
eight young boys dressed like devils, all over 
black as a coal, with great long tails, and very 
extravagant and ridiculous countenances, and 
great horns on their heads; these skipped about 
the saint, and made a thousand ridiculous pos- 
tures, apish tricks and faces, to endeavour to 
distract and divert her from reading of her bre- 
viary, by making of her laugh* The maiden 
who acted the personage of this saint, had been 
chosen by them on purpose of a melancholy 
temperament, who accordingly acted her part 
very well; she always kept her eyes fixed on 
her hours, without giving the least shew of a 
smile, though all the spectators that were pre- 
sent, could not contain themselves from burst- 
ing out into loud laughter, to see the ridicu- 
lous posture those little devils put themselves 
into, and who were certainly most impudent 
and pickelled youths ; forasmuch as many 
times they make a shew of taking up their 
coats. This saint was followed by another, 
as if to make the people laugh as the former ; 
this was a S. Catherine of Sienna, who had by 
her side a pretty little boy, with a broom in 
one hand, and a pair of bellows in the other ; 
for they hold, that this saint (who was a reli- 
gious of the Dominican order) had so great a 
familiarity with the child Jesns, that that divine 

infant 



OF PROCESSIONS, $c. 283 

infant, to ease when she was weary, frequently 
came and swept her chamber, and kindled her 
fire. After these good she saints, came all those 
whom they call Figvres, comprehending* all those 
holy women, who according to them did repre- 
sent the Blessed Virgin in the Old Testament ; 
they were carried upon frames on men's shoul- 
ders. Amongst the rest, there was Jael, to be 
seen in her tent, with Sisera lying' at her feet, 
who was a beautiful youth, dressed in the garb 
of a warrior, and she with a great nail and 
hammer, making shew as if she had been ready 
to pierce his temples; after this figure came a 
Dalilah, sitting in an elbow-chair, with a comely 
youth between her knees; she had apairofscis- 
sars in her hand, as if she had been about to 
cut off his locks. After these appeareth Judith; 
this was a fine figure indeed; for on the frame 
where she was, there were above twenty per- 
sons, it being the representation of Judith 9 s re- 
turn to Bethuliah in triumph witli Holqferues's 
head, when the priests and people came out to 
meet, and sung a song in praise of her. This 
Judith, was one of the most beautiful young wo- 
men of Italy, and very lasciviously dressed ; 
round about her, (upon the same frame and pa- 
geant) they had placed several excellent musi- 
cians, who sung most ravishing stanza's in hon- 
our of her. The following' pageant, as if they 
had a mind to oppose deformity or beauty, sup- 

Eorting a good old woman, without any teeth in 
er head, and very deformed ; who muttered 
something within her gums, and represented 
Hannah, the mother of Samuel. I was asto- 
nished to see a woman of her age would trust 
herself on a pageant. She was followed by many 
more pageants, which were in all eighteen ia 
number, with their different figures: but I shall 
not insist upon a particular description of any 

more 



284 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

more of them, that I may not tire you out ; and 
shall only tell you, that the last of them all 
was the truth of all these figures, and the per- 
son typified, viz, the Blessed Virgin, who was 
represented by a very comely and beautiful 
maid, very richly dressed, with a great royal 
robe ; she held a great rosary or bead-row in her 
left hand, and in her right hand, a sceptre. She 
had a rich croicn upon her head, set thick with 
pearls and diamonds. 

People of quality in Italy take it to be a me- 
ritorious piece of service to accommodate the 
saints of both sexes with their richest jewels, at 
these processions ; which is the reason, that very 
frequently on these occasions, great riches are 
exposed to view. 

1 observed, that when this young woman, who 
represented the Blessed Virgin passed by, carried 
on a pageant, no body stirred their hats, no 
body bowed themselves, or fell down to worship 
her, or call upon her; but a little while after, 
when the wooden image of the Virgin came to 
pass by them, (which is the same that stands on 
the altar of the chapel of the Rosary of the Do- 
minicans of Castello ) all the people fell down on 
their knees, and beating their breasts, called her 
the Mother of God, and prayed to her. They 
made her, at certain distances, to bestow her sa- 
lutations and benedictions upon the people, in the 
same manner I related to you speaking of the 
Lady of S. Luke of Bononia, and which were re- 
ceived by them with a great deal of acknow- 
ledgement* as a very great favour. Having* ap- 
plied my mind to find out the reason, why the 
Papists do not pay their adorations to living fi- 
gures, though they indeed represent the Virgin 
more naturally, than a piece of stone or wood 
can do ; and yet are so exact in bestowing them 
on their inanimate statues: after having spent 

some 



OF PROCESSIONS, 285 

some thoughts upon it, I could not light upon 
any other reason but this, That human, nature 
having u hind of horror imprest upon it, of ren- 
dering to the Creature a worship, that is due to 
God only, all living figures, and especially those 
of men and women, do more fully discover to 
the sense their weak dependant creatural be- 
ing, than inanimate things do, in which they sup- 
pose there is some secret adherent divine vir- 
tue. Though to speak the truth, this is no other 
than the highest pitch of folly, and the root and 
rise of all idolatry. But I return to our pro- 
cession- 

This image of wood was carried in the midst of 
the Fathers Dominicans, who were the number of 
about an hundred ; for they having many con- 
vents in Venice, they are ready to assist one ano- 
ther upon the like occasions. Nothing can be 
imagined more loose and lascivious than they 
appeared in all their deportment ; they had great 
rosaries on their arms, and there was none of 
them that troubled himself to say them, except it 
were some old father amongst them, that was go- 
ing out of the world, and was no more fit to 
make any figure in it ; but all the rest of them 
strutted and marched in the most wanton manner 
in their fine white habits. All the way they 
went, they talked and laughed together, casting 
their eyes this way and that way on the ladies 
that looked out at the windows, or stood in the 
streets, to see the procession march along. 

I do not think, Sir, it will be necessary for me 
to desire you to make some reflection on these 
kind of proceedings ; because you cannot but 
take notice from the recital I give you, what 
all these processions aim at. Certainly, they 
are at the best no better than entertainments for 
children, or rather ridiculous farces to please 
fools, but which at the same time expose the 

Christian 



286 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

Christian Religion to the reproach and derision 
of atheists and infidels. Some persons reported 
to me of a truth, that they had overheard some 
Turkish merchants, who were spectators at this 
procession, saying' to one another, Have you ever 
seen the like extravagant fooleries ? And, must 
not a man be bereft of his senses, before he can 
ever be persuaded to embrace such a religion ? 
The Papists boast themselves in this, as an infal- 
lible mark of the truth of their religion, That 
there is no one Christian society in the world, 
that take mor£ pains for the conversion of infi- 
dels, and who are blest with greater success in 
that undertaking, than themselves. But suppos- 
ing all they say be true, yet I am sure it may 
be said, with much more truth, That there is no 
Christian Church in the world, is a greater ob- 
stacle to the conversion of infidels, than theirs is. 
and that for one whom they convert, they hin- 
der a million from being converted, who proba- 
bly might come to the light of the gospel, had 
they not been eye witnesses of the gross folly 
and idolatry of their pretended religious prac- 
tices. Yea, they are even found in the use of 
these things which make their own Roman Ca- 
tholics o/ foreign countries to blush for them, 
when they are told of it. The English Papists 
look upon such relations barely, as exaggerations 
and calumnies devised by their enemies, to black- 
en them. All that lean say to this sort of peo- 
ple is, that if they please to go to Italy, their 
own eyes will be able to convince them of more 
and greater extravagances, than those I have re- 
lated to you in any of my Letters: the very 
same follies were formerly in vogue and practice 
in France ; but the sight only of the Protestants 
that were mingled amongst them, have made 
them drop a good number of them. Thus, by a 
special effect of the goodness of God, the pre- 
sence 



OF PROCESSIONS, §c 287 

sence only of Protestan s, carries a kind of bless- 
ing with it, which secretly reproves and corrects 
vice, confounds error, and inspires truth. 

I will add to this procession I saw at Venice, 
another I have seen at Milan: this was celebrat- 
ed by the Carmelites, in honour of the Little Sca- 
pulary, wherewith I have entertained you in a 
former Letter ; and that I may not trouble you 
with repetitions of the angels and figures, which 
were of the same kind as those I have already 
given you a description of, I shall only take no- 
tice to you of such particulars as were singular 
and different in this procession from those before 
related. One thing' very remarkable in this pro- 
cession was, that most of the young gentlewomen 
of the town, assisted at it in their richest clothes, 
and adorned with all their jewels. They march- 
ed four in a rank, with great white M ax-tapers in 
their hands, and all the way they went, sung 
the psalms and hymns to the Blessed Virgin, 
that are used in the Roman Church. The women 
in Italy are not wont to sing in their churches, 
it being forbidden them, except those only who 
are of some religious order. However, the Car- 
melites made bold to introduce this piece of no- 
velty, either to give themselves the satisfaction 
of being charmed with so many sweet voices, or 
at least to flatter and please the humour of the 
Milan gentlemen, who were extremely pleased 
with the device. They were ranged on both 
sides of the street, to see the young ladies pass 
by, who went with naked breasts, and with an 
air of wantonness, proper to inspire their lovers 
with a devotion indeed, but very different from 
what was pretended. 

It was about an hour and half in the night 
when the procession began to set forth, and the 
light of the wax-candles and torches, much ad- 
vancd the lustre of the beauty and ornaments 

of 



288 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

of this choice hand. AH the way they passed, the 
streets rung* with nothing* but, Ay, this is a fine 
shew indeed! O, the lovely Procession ! see, how 
gracefully the Lady of N. carries her taper ! 
What a majectic and becoming gate that lady 
has ? O, the charming voice of this siceei one 
here ! Others again more impertinent than the 
former, cast out words to them (as they passed by) 
of a double meaning, which in the midst of so 
holy an exercise, as (forsooth) they will needs 
have it to be, were pregnant instances of the pro- 
faneness and filth of their hearts. After the la- 
dies, came the Fathers Carmelites, two and two 
together; so that this whole procession was only 
composed of women and monks, with a wooden 
image representing the Virgin, which brought 
up the rear, and to which all the spectators 
paid their adoration, kneeling down in the streets 
when it passed by, to receive salutations and be- 
nedictions, which the good Fathers Carmelites, 
that bore the statue, made her bestow on the 
people. 

The monks and priests please themselves ex- 
tremely in making such like processions in their 
several churches ; because it is upon these occa- 
sions that they appear with a pomp and lustre, 
that dazzles the eyes of the people, and makes 
the simple imagine they discern something in 
their persons that is more than human; though 
indeed, all this be at the bottom no more than 
a foolish vanity, and a pure illusion of the spirit 
of this world. We do not find them so zealous 
for, and ready to assist at those processions, 
that have any thing that is painful annexed to 
them; and at which the ladies cannot conveni- 
ently assist. This is what I observed at Milan y 
at the time of the rogations that are kept in As- 
cension Week. It is a custom observed in all 
countries that are of the Romish communion, to. 

make 



OF PROCESSIONS, $c. 2S8 

make processions the three days before Holy* 
Thursday ; that is to say, to go with the cross and 
banner from one church to another, to say their 
prayers. 

Now at Milan this procession begins not till an 
hour after midnight, and doth not end till the 
next day at two of the clock in the afternoon* 
All the priests of the city, and adjoining places, 
are bound to assist at them, not excepting' the 
stranger priests that are in the city. They 
must precisely meet at the hour appointed, at 
the sound of the great bell of the cathedral, in 
order to range themselves under the cross and 
banner. But because the great allurement is 
wanting in these kind of processions, the priests 
had rather sleep far in the day, than to take the 
pains to assist at them : but the cardinal-arch- 
bishop, though he does not care for going him- 
self, has at last found out a way to make them 
go, though sore against their wills; for by his 
order all the Sbirries of the archbishopric being 
joined with those of the town, to the number of 
an hundred and fifty, armed with blunderbusses, 
pistols, and bayonets, divide themselves into se- 
veral small parties of five or six together, and 
go the round through all the streets of the city, 
to look for the priests that are absent from the 
procession ; they go and search for them in their 
very houses, and in case they find any, they tie 
their hands together on their backs, and in this 
infamous manner drag them to the archbishops 9 
prisons. When they are come to the prison gates, 
then the Sbirries search their clothes and pockets, 
and after having very abusively treated them, 
they take from them all they find about them, 
and thrust them down into a dungeon, where they 
remain till they be summoned to appear in the 
archbishop's court, where at last they are ae~ 

C c quitted. 



£$0 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

quitted, after a small reproof, and a mulct of 
twenty crowns to the archbishop. The priests 
seeing that there was no way of exempting them- 
selves from assisting at the procession, found out 
the secret however, of making it somewhat 
more sweet and easy to them* 

The procession goes in one morning only to ten 
or twelve churches, where they enter, and stay 
for some considerable time, to sing their lita- 
nies; but forasmuch as the priests, by reason of 
their great numbers, cannot all enter into the 
same church, the far greater part of them be- 
ing- obliged to stand abroad in the street, about 
the church; but they not liking this waiting 
abroad, found a means to take up all the adjoin- 
ing taverns and victualing-houses, and there 
make much of themselves, whilst their brethren 
were singing in the church; and after they had 
well solaced themselves, went and relieved their 
brethren giving them an occasion to do as? 
they had done; and by this means the office 
was dispatched with much more courage and 
vigour. But the thing in itself being so base 
and scandalous in the eyes of the seculars, and 
some complaints having been made of their dis- 
orderly carriage to the archbishop, he ordered 
some thirty of his Sbirries should always coast 
about the procession, and search all the taverns 
for priests, and if they find any, to drive them 
thence ; so that the poor priests being so nearly 
watched, are debarred of the opportunity of re- 
freshing themselves with a glass of good wine. 
However, this doth not hinder, but that some of 
them take care to have a bottle of wine in their 
pockets, or some other convenience under their 
surplices; arid when they have. a mind to a sup- 
per, they pray some of their brethren to stand 
round them, and stooping a little, that they 

may 



OF PROCESSIONS, $m 291 

may not be perceived by the Sbirries, they very 
dexterously refresh themselves in spite of the 
machinations of their enemies. 

When the procession enters into any churches 
belonging' to monks, the priests get themselves 
into the convent which joins to it, where the 
monks (that any of them are acquainted with) 
treat them with meat and drink, as much as they 
desire; and here they are secured from the 
search of the Sbirries, who have no power to 
look for them there ; and should they attempt 
such a thing, would find but a very bad wel- 
come. As soon as the procession is arrived at a 
certain church, specified by the archbishop, the 
twelve ecclesiastical prefects of the twelve gates 
of Milan, which are all arch-priests, and who 
have the inspection of all the clergy divided 
amongst them, assemble themselves in some 
great place, and every one of them having- a 
list of all the priests that are under his jurisdiction, 
they read their names aloud one after another, 
being all of them obliged to answer to their 
names, and present themselves. If any one be 
found wanting, the same day a note is sent to 
his house, to pay the twenty crowns mulct for 
his absence. The whole ceremony being- finish- 
ed, the procession returns to the cathedral. It is 
commonly three of the clock in the afternoon, 
before the procession enters the cathedral ; and 
then upon ringing of the great bell, every one 
of them has leave to return home, the Sbirries 
have no further power to meddle with them ; 
but they scuffle home with that precipitation, as 
makes the spectators laugh heartily, to see hun- 
gry priests post away to their looked-for din- 
ners. 

Now it is apparent that these rogation pro- 
cessions are so very displeasing to them; because, 
first of all, there is nothing to be gained by them. 

Cc*2 8 y la 



292 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 
In the second place, there are no ladies to as- 
sist at them: and thirdly, there are neither an- 
gels nor figures, to give them the least sport or 
diversion. The fourth place, they are not per- 
mitted to solemnize these processions in their 
pompous habits, but simply with their surplices 
and square bonnets, which is the cause why the 
seculars will not so much as step out of their 
way to see them pass. Fifthly, the procession 
being enjoined them, under rigourous mulcts 
and punishments, this is that which makes it go 
most of all against their stomach to assist at it ; for 
as much pleasure as they take in imperiously 
commanding others, so much regret they have to 
obey, and be subject to the command of their 
superiors. And last of all, in these kind of pro- 
cessions, there are some inconveniences to be en- 
dured; they must leave their beds long before 
day ; they must take many large turns and wea- 
risome steps, and sing- long without either eating 
or drinking ; which does not very well sort with 
their humour. 

The jolly processions of the Holy Sacrament, 
have much more charms for them ; or the unveil- 
ing of some miraculous image ; or the pompous 
procession of the Holy Nail, which is celebrated 
every summer in Milan, and to which not only 
the inhabitants of that city, but all the nobility 
and gentry of the neighbouring' towns and pro- 
vinces do flock in crowds, to be the spectators of 
that ambulatory pomp and magnificence. In this 
case there is no need of the Sbirries, to oblige 
the ecclesiastics to assist at it : the cardinal- 
archbishop himself assists in person at it, and 
carries the relic of the Holy Nail. And accord- 
ing to their tradition, this is one of those nails 
that pierced the adorable body of our Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ, when he was nailed to the 
cross ; which Constantim the Great having met 



OF PROCESSIONS, $c. 293 

with, in honour to it, made it part of his horse's 
bridle. It is now exposed to view, enclosed in a 
very fair chrystal, fixed upon a large pedestal of 
pure gold, of incomparable workmanship, and 
embellished with precious stones ; and is cer- 
tainly one of the richest and finest pieces that 
can be seen, and so heavy, that the cardinal had 
much ado to carry it. The nail is crooked, as 
having been made a part of a bridle* , 

The reflection I have made upon this nail is, 
that according to the history itself, which the 
Papists give us of it, it appears, that the relics, 
and especially the instruments of the passion of 
our Saviour, to which they at present pretend, 
we are obliged to render Letria, that is, divine 
worship, did not in ancient times receive any 
such honour, since Const antine (as they own 
themselves) made that nail a part of his horse's 
bridle ; which no body will be so impertinent as 
to own for a piece of divine honour. He did not 
cause it to be set upon the altar, as it is at pre- 
sent; neither did men kneel before it, as the 
practice of the Papists is at this day ; for other- 
wise, it would have followed, that wherever Cqii? 
st antine 9 s horse passed, all persons must have 
prostrated themselves before it; which is very 
absurd, and is not in any part of the History of 
that great emperor. 

And since 1 am sensibly fallen upon the proces- 
sions that are in vogue at Milan, I think myself 
bound to give you the description of one of the 
most famous that city can boast of, being the 
same which is put in practice the eve of Holy 
Friday. This procession is celebrated by torch- 
light, and proceeds in order, as follows; — 

Immediately after the cross and banner, follow 
the cross bearers : these are men that carry great 
crosses on their shoulders, fifteen or twenty foot 
long ; they are very great and heavy in appear- 

C c 3 ance, 



294 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

ance, but hollow within, and indeed are nothing 
but four thin boards glued together : yet I am 
apt to believe, that by reason of their great bulk, 
they are a reasonable good burthen for a single 
/nan, and troublesome enough to those that bear 
them; and accordingly they tell us, that these 
cross bearers perform this piece of devotion from 
a spirit of repentance and penance, and to imi- 
tate our Saviour Jesus Christ, when he carried 
his cross up to Mount Calvary. There are no 
less commonly than two or three hundred of 
them, and the most of them have ropes about 
their necks, and great chains on their leg's, which 
trail on the ground after them, and make a hide- 
ous noise. Their faces are covered with great 
cowls* 

The cross hearers put me in mind of certain 
heretics, mentioned by Baronius in his ecclesiasti- 
cal annals, who were called Cruciferu It seems 
they took that place of the gospel according to 
the letter, He that doth not take up his cross 
and follow me, cannot be my disciple: and ac- 
cordingly they had got great crosses, which they 
bore on their shoulders, and running' like madmen 
over mountains and through desarts, they never 
quitted them, till hunger, thirst, and weariness, 
thrust their souls out of their bodies. I must 
confess, that those who assist at these proces- 
sions, do not strain their devotion to this pitch ; 
but still there is somewhat of resemblance in 
their actions., 

In the midst of these cross bearers, was car- 
ried on a pageant, a figure of Our Saviour going 
up to Mount Calvary. After these cross bearers 
followed the disciplinarians, as they call them ; 
these also had their faces covered with great cowls, 
and having their backs stark naked, with great dis- 
ciplines or whips they had in their hands, they cruel- 
ly beat themselves, making the blood to run down 

their 



OF PROCESSIONS, Sfc. 295 

their shoulders, in a maimer, that caused horror 
to nature. In the midst of these flag-ell ators, 
was carried a representation of the scourging of 
Our Saviour, tied to a pillar* After these fol- 
lowed several companies of soldiers, with their 
musquets and pikes, the points downward, and 
their colours in like manner. All the drums were 
covered with black cloth, and beating upon it, 
made the sound very doleful. After the soldiers 
followed a living* figure of Our Saviour, which 
was a young man dressed in a large purple robe, 
with a crown of thorns on his head, and bear- 
ing a great cross on his shoulders: he had round 
about him, near a score of youths, habited like 
Jews, who put themselves into an hundred ridi- 
culous postures, and made faces at him after 
such a manner, as forced the spectators to laugh 
at a sight, which ought to have melted their 
hearts into sorrow and compunction; neither 
was this a strange tiling amongst them, their 
holy representations being very surely not exempt 
from some notorious profanation : there was no 
kneeling to this figure, because it was a live one. 
This figure was followed by all the confraterni- 
ties of the City of Scuole, which are very numer- 
ous. They march two and two, with wax-tapers 
lighted in their hands; and after them followed 
another figure of Our Saviour laid in his sepul- 
chre. As soon as this came by, though it were 
only made of wood, all that stood in the streets, 
fell down on their knees and worshipped it. 
About this figure, there marched a company of 
women, all in mourning, who held their handker- 
chiefs before their eyes, as if they had wept. 
Next to these women followed the priests, and 
after them, a statue of the Blessed Virgin, hav- 
ing her heart pierced with seven great swords 
that stuck fast in it: they commonly call this, 
our Lady of pity; and wherever it passed, they 



296 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

paid to it the same prostrations and adorations, 
as to the statue of Our Saviour. A great throng* 
of people last of all, concluded the procession. 

I know well enough that the Papists will not 
only excuse these kind of processions, but will 
also exalt them far above their plain ones ; al- 
ledging, that these are all of them holy repre- 
sentations, which renew in our minds the idea of 
what passed long' ago on Mount Calvary : but, 
for my part, I believe that the time they take to 
dispose and regulate these kind of processions, 
and which the spectators spend in seeing them 
pass by, would be much better employed in read- 
ing* and meditating of the History of Our Savi- 
our's Passion in private, in order to the enkind- 
ling of holy affections, suitable to that great occa- 
sion. This, I say, would in all probability be a 
far more efficacious means to obtain this holy 
end, than to dress up a man like Our Saviour, 
and turn all to a farce^ to make the people 
laugh at so tremendous a mystery ; for this in- 
deed, however, they may otherwise disguise it, 
is the end of all. 

Thus likewise it is, when five weeks after Eas- 
ter, they represent the ascension of Our Saviour 
Jesus Christ into Heaven ; they have a great sta- 
tue of wood to represent him, which they tie 
with great cords about the head, and just at noon- 
tide of Ascension-day, at the ringing of all the 
bells in the town, and in the presence of all the 
people, certain persons placed on the roof of the 
church, draw it up by cords into the air; the 
priests in the mean time singing the anthem, 
Viri Galilsei quid admiramini aspicientes in coe* 
Imn f $c. When the statue is ready to efiter in- 
to the hole, which they have made on purpose 
in the roof of it, there are men posted, who from 
the high galleries of the church, cast some 
twenty or thirty pails of water on the spectators ; 

ISO 



OF PROCESSIONS, cj c. 297 

so that many of them are made wet to the skin, 
which makes the rest break out into loud laugh- 
ter. This is the devout end of this fine ceremony 
or holy representation, as they are pleased to 
term it. 1 have also seen great number of cross 
bearers and disciplinarians, as in Italy. And in- 
deed, to judge by outward appearance, one would 
believe these persons to be animated by a greater 
spirit of devotion and mortification; but having 
made it my business to search into the matter, J 
found that the most of them are engaged to do 
it for interest sake, being paid for lashing of 
themselves, because the ecclesiastics think it a 
shame, if in a Lent procession they should not 
have a good number of these men of discip- 
line, and cross-bearers. Others, again, do it, be- 
cause their confessors have enjoined it them as 
a piece of penance. 

I know indeed, no reason why the priests 
should pride themselves with this ; but sure I 
am, I have often heard them reproach one an- 
other, that they had none, or very few scourgers 
in their processions. It is possible, that by a 
sottish kind of vanity they may suppose, that 
the glory of these kind of public penances, re- 
flects upon themselves, as being' the imposers 
of them ; in which case their vain-glory is no 
better founded, than the crow in the fable, who 
prided himself with what was none of his. They 
are very well pleased to see others lash them- 
selves ; but not so much as one of them will be 
an example of it to others : for never in my 
life, did I see either priests or monks, whip 
themselves in public. These wMppers and cross- 
bearers, for the most part, to make this piece of 
penance more tolerable to them, drink them- 
selves to a good pitch, before they set out on 
processioning. 

Whilst I was at Mentz in Germany, I saw a great 

inconvenience 



298 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

inconvenience and disappointment happen upon 
this occasion ; where many of these cross-bearers 
in the midst of the procession, threw down their 
crosses in the streets, and very fairly set them- 
selves down upon them, saying. That they had 
borne them long enough, and that it teas but fit- 
ting the crosses should now bear them. Besides, 
many of the disciplinarians fell a singing and danc- 
ing, and vomiting the surplus of the wine they 
had taken. Most of them were Jesuifs scholars, 
whom their regents had forced to this involuntary 
mortification. 

By this, Sir, you may easily discern, that the 
Papists will make ail things bend and stoop to 
their fancy and humour. They have almost fram- 
ed to themselves a new gospel ; and they in- 
terpret the mysteries of it so materially and 
grossly, that in the end they will probably per- 
suade them, That to bear their cross in this 
world, is nothing else, but to go a procession* 
ing, with great crosses of wood upon their 
shoulders ; and consequently maintain, that it is 
a mere heresy to believe with the Protestants, 
That true mortification is that of an humble and 
contrite heart, and of a soul pierced with an 
holy sorrow and repentance for sin. It is scarce 
possible to make the popish Jesuits and Priests 9 
that come into England, acknowledge, that these 
sort of foolish exercises of devotion, are at this 
day, the most frequent employments of their Ro- 
man Catholics, in those places where that reli- 
gion takes place. They are so ashamed to own 
these their follies, that at present none but tra- 
vellers are able to convince them thereof, wha 
can tell them, that they have seen with their 
own eyes, what they so impudently deny with 
their mouths. It was an effect of this shame, 
that made some Italian and German Jesuits, in 
my presence, treat a chapter of a certain book, 

as 



OF PROCESSIONS, $c. 299 

as containing nothing- but mere calumnies, be- 
cause it mentioned a devotion which is still 
every year practised in Italy, and Germany, at 
Christmas, which is the ceremony of rocking* the 
cradle of the child Jesus. And yet there is no- 
thing more true, than that this custom is much 
in vogue amongst them, myself have seen it 
done several times* Their way is this : they make 
on an altar, or in some chapel of their churches, 
a representation of the stable at Bethlehem 
with great figures representing* the Blessed Vir- 
gin, S. Joseph, and the child Jesus, lying in 
his manger. The Italians do excel all others 
in making those kind of representations, and 
make them their pastime and divsrsion all the 
Christmas-holidays ; and the women have leave 
at that time to go from church to church, to see 
these pageants, and under pretext of frequent- 
ing these devotions, many bargains are struck, 
little suiting with the pretended holiness of the 
places where they are made. 

It cannot be denied, but that there is some- 
thing in these representations, that does ex- 
tremely take the eye: you have a pleasant pro- 
spect here of rocjks, fountains, forests, and de- 
lightful green plains, expressed to the life, and 
shepherds feeding their flocks upon them : you 
see people from all parts coming through lanes 
and paths, to offer their presents to the child 
Jesus. All this is very naturally represented, and 
there is always some merry conceit or other join- 
ed with them, to make people laugh. But the 
principal point I aim at in this description is, 
that there are many great ribbands, or cords tied 
to the cradle of the child Jesus, which the spec- 
tators that are there present, and upon their 
knee% do pull towards them very devoutly to rock 
•the cradle, in like manner as we see nurses do 

their 



300 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

their children; and then sing what in Italian they 
call their Na, Na, which are songs commonly sung 
to rock children asleep ; Sleep my little Jesus, 
sleep my dear love* sleep; na, na, na, na. But 
that which surprized me beyond measure was, to 
see sometimes old men and women rise up from 
their knees in a great anger, when they heard 
too much noise made in the church, and bidding* 
them be hushed, for that else they would awake 
the child Jesus; which, notwithstanding, is no 
more than a piece of wood or pasteboard paint- 
ed over: yea, there be some so fearful of of- 
fending this way, that they pull off their shoes 
as soon as they enter the church, for fear of 
troubling the child's rest; whilst (in the mean 
time) their monks and priests, standing behind 
in their sextries, laugh at all these their follies. 

I can say, that I never saw any of them lay 
hold of the cords to rock the cradle, and would 
be sore ashamed to be found so sottishly employ- 
ed. And probably they would be understood in 
this sense, when they say, that this is never prac- 
tised amongst them, because they do not do it 
themselves; but they are very glad to see the se- 
culars so well employed for their diversion. Nei- 
ther is this child's play altogether without pro- 
fit to them ; for there be many of the visitants, 
who bring some of them fresh eggs, and others 
pullets and capons, to make caudles and broths 
for the Virgin; all which they lay in the stable, 
near to the image : others bring cheeses, and 
great bottles of wine, which they lay near to the 
image of S. Joseph ; and others cast large pieces 
of money into a great basin, which the priests 
hold out to them, and which (as they tell them) 
is to be laid out, to buy necessaries for the child 
Jems* 

1 happened once to be at Mentz in Germany, in 

the 



OF PROCESSIONS, £c. 301 

the sextry of the fathers Jesuits, with five or six 
of them. It was a diversion to us, to see the pre- 
sents they made to the manger* A poor country-fe!« 
low, amongst the rest, brought with great simpici- 
ty and devotion, a great truss of hay, and laid it 
down in the holy stable, between the Ox and 
the ass ; but the Jesuits perceiving it, said one 
to another, Fie, fie, this must be taken away im- 
mediately, it will prove a very bad precedent ; 
at this rate they would bring nothing but grass 
and hay for the beasts, .No, this must not be; 
they had much better bring good gammons of 
bacon and neat's-tongues for S. Joseph. The 
sexton accordingly ran to take it away ; but the 
countryman briskly opposed him, saying', That 
he could not endure to see the ox and the ass die 
for hunger, whilst the rest were so well pro- 
vided* But they endeavoured to appease him, by 
telling "him, That the child Jesus would take 
care to sustain them by his divine virtue, rather 
than that should happen. Thus for a miserable 
and base interest, they most outrageously abuse 
the poor, and keep them in ignorance, and after- 
wards, to advance their impiety to the highest de-. 
gree, they make a virtue of it, giving it the name 
of Simplicity and Innocence. It is before these 
sort of mangers, that (according as I have told 
you, in a former Letter) they set little children 
to preach. 

I have made bold upon this occasion to make 
this short digression, which I hope will not prove 
unpleasing to you. I return now again to our 
processions, or rather I shall conclude this Let- 
ter, in like manner as I have begun it, by giving 
you a relation of another unveiling of an imr ge of 
the Virgin I have seen at Milan, and which, as I 
was told, was only done once in fifty-six years. 
All the corporations of the city, and of the 
neighbouring places, made the visits to it pro- 
D d cessionallv, 



302 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

cessionally, with wax-tapers, purses, presents 
and ceremonies, not much unlike those I have 
already related to you. The only thing singu- 
lar in this uncovering was, that all the while 
the image was unveiled, there was great con- 
course from all parts, of possessed persons, the 
priests being very busy in all the corners of the 
church, to exorcise them. The Papists maintain, 
That their priests in their ordination, receive 
the power of casting out devils, and that the ef~ 
Ject shews they are successful in it. For my part, 
I have seen very many of these possessed persons, 
and I have diligently applied myself, to search 
into, and examine the matter, but never could 
discover any able to persuade me, that those 
effects or operations proceed rather from the de- 
vil, than from a strong imagination, or some vi- 
olent distemper. Besides, I seldom met with any, 
but women that were possessed; and I would 
gladly be informed, why the devil should ra- 
ther attack them than men. Indeed, the true 
reason of this is, that in Italy, the women are 
more than ordinary subject to fall into phrensies 
and strange imaginations. Their parents, or their 
husbands, keep them always shut up in their 
chambers or garrets, without permitting* them to 
go abroad, except it be sometimes to church : 
and being naturally of an hot and amorous tem- 
per, a flattering and pleasing object they may by 
chance have espied from their windows, or at 
mass, does so far transport them, that they are 
wholly possessed with it, and with the devil, as 
is supposed. Their thoughts are strongly fixed 
on it day and night, and the force of the imagina- 
tion, making a wonderful impression upon their 
vital spirits, does extremely agitate and confound 
them: and from thence proceed all those disor- 
ders and convulsions that appear in their bodies. 
This church I speak of, was full of this sort of 

possessed 



OF PROCESSIONS, 303 

possessed persons. Amongst the rest, I perceived 
in one of the chapels, a very beautiful young gen- 
tlewoman, who continually beat her breast with 
her hand, and cried out, as if she had felt some- 
thing that would have choakedher. She had many 
priests about her, reading of exorcisms ; but 
amongst the rest there was a very handsome priest, 
who did wonders, and indeed out did them all. The 
possessed party seemed to have no consideration 
for any of the rest, but for him only, and whenever 
he touched her, the devil, to appearance, being 
overcome by the force of his exorcisms, left off 
to • torment her. I was astonished to see the 
liberty this young , gentleman took with his 
possessed; for sometimes he would embrace her 
body, he handled her hands and arms, and almost 
continually gave her little slaps on the cheek. They 
tell us, That the devil being a proud haughty 
spirit, cannot endure to be humbled; which is 
the reason of their boxing and affronting the 
possessed. The other priests that were about 
ner, sometimes stretched forth their hands to 
box her, as he did ; but she shewed herself 
enraged against them, and would not suffer 
them to touch her; so that they were fain to 
content themselves with abusing the devil hi 
words, whilst the young priest alone was admit- 
ted to flap her on the cheek. This proceeding- 
at last stirred up some jealousy amongst them- 
selves, and one of the old priests said to this young 
blade in a smart way of raillery, Dom Pietro, / 
see well, that the devil likes none so well as 
yourself; and if I be not much mistaken, you 
well enengh agree together. 

But whatever the priests of Home may pretend, 
certain it is, that the absolute power they claim 
over the devils, is not so evidently verified in 
them, as they would make the people believe it 

D d 2 is. 



804 THE SEVENTH LETTER, 

is. I have seen possessed persons, and exorcisms*, 
pronounced over them in quantity, but I never saw 
any of them freed of their possession by this 
means, I know it is commonly said, there are 
many beggars, who counterfeit themselves pos- 
sessed, that by this means they may procure a 
good maintenance all their lives after ; and as 
for these, indeed, I question not, but the priests 
have power to deliver them of their counter- 
feit possessions. This cheat of the beggars pro- 
cures vast credit to their mysterious images, 
which are but once unveiled in fifty years time. 

But 1 will leave these possessed, to come to a 
conclusion of what I have said concerning Popish 
precessions, which they define, as I hinted at 
the beginning* of this Letter, a marching } or 
walking of the people from one church to ano- 
ther, under the conduct of their priests, with the 
cross and banner, there to invoke the extraordi- 
nary assistance of God, But indeed, and in 
tru'h, according to the account now given you of 
them, does it not appear to you, Sir, that they may 
with much more right be defined. Pompous and 
w,agnif cent walks, invented on purpose to enhance 
the credit and repute of the monks and priests, 
and to abuse and gull the people for their own 
advantage ? We nave not the least footsteps of 
these kind of processions in the primitive centu- 
ries of the church, as being only an invention 
of the Pope's brain; and if I be not much mis- 
taken, S. Gregory the Great, was the first that 
instituted them at a time of the plague. In his 
time they were celebrated with abundance of 
modesty; but the luxury and ambition of the 
clergy have in process of time so much ampli- 
fied them, that it is as clear as the sun at noon- 
day, they serve for no other use at present, 
but to give them the advantage, and make them 
triumph over the seculars. Besides, they serve 



OF PROCESSIONS, $c 305 

for public marks of honour, whereby they are 
distinguished amongst themselves. There is no- 
thing they are more jealous of, than their prece- 
dency in processions, the priests and monks, of- 
ten quarrel with one another on this occasion ; 
and sometimes their contests break out into great 
disorders, as it happened not long since at Di- 
jon, a parliament city in France, where the monks 
of S. Bennet, having undertaken to go a proces- 
sioning, with great canes in their hands, as an 
ensign of their authority over the rest of the 
clergy; the canons of the holy chapel rose up 
against them, which occasioned a furious skir- 
mish between them, with their crosses and ban- 
Tiers. 

The order observed in all processions, is, that 
the meanest march first, and those of the highest 
rank and quality last of all, so that the bishop 
is always the last man that shuts up the pro- 
cession. The Jesuits being of so late standing 
in the Church of Rome, and not having been able 
to obtain the precedency they affected of their se- 
nior orders, at processions, have wholly renounc - 
ed them, and never assist at them. Only at Ve- 
nice, the senate obliged them to go in proces- 
sion with the rest; and to avoid mingling them- 
selves amongst the priests or monks, they rather 
choose to march amongst tradesmen. The cob- 
lers, shoemakers, and taylors, march first oF all ? 
and after them come the Jesuits, who are follow- 
ed by the other trades. 

I shall here conclude this Letter, and without 
detaining you with an ample moral application of 
all this, shall only tell you, that forasmuch as it 
is apparent and visible, that these kinds of pro- 
cessions in the Church of Rome, are only made (o 
serve the ends of ambition and temporal interest 
of the clergy ; that the best processions we can 
make are not to march from one church to an- 
s D d 3 other 



306 THE EIGHTH LETTER, . 

other; but to advance from one church to another, 
until we arrive at the holy mount of God, viz. 
blessed eternity. Optima processio sit procedere 
de virtuie in virtutem, usque ad montem domini* 
I remain, Sir, 

Your. 



LETTER VIIL 

OF THE CORRUPTION OF THE ITALIAN PRIESTS 
&JfjD MONKS 1JST THEIR DEVOTION AND 
MORALS, SfC. 

1 have already acquainted you in my last, that 
my abode for two years together in the city of 
Bononia, at the abbey of S. Michael in the Wood, 
afforded me a very favourable opportunity of pe- 
netrating into the lives, and manners of monas- 
ticks, and I might have staid there much long- 
er, if the persuasions of a noble Venetian had 
not prevailed with me, to go with him to Ve- 
nice. It seems, as if a divine providence had 
conducted me thither, to put me in a station 
where I might take a nearer view of the con- 
duct and conversation of other ecclesiastics com- 
monly called Secular Priests ; not so much, be- 
cause 1 was ignorant before of their way of life, 
having been always brought up amongst them, 
and one of them; but because I found a con- 
siderable deal of difference between the secu- 
lar clergy of Italy, and those of France, amongst 
whom I had my education. The former of these 
live without any restraint, and without being 

much 



, OF CORRUPTION, %® 307 

much observed or taken notice of by their own 
countrymen, whom they have corrupted as well 
in their practice, as in their principles, as I shall 
more particularly make out to you in the se- 
quel nereof; whereas the latter, (that is to say, 
the ecclesiastics of France) have studied the art 
of dissimulation, and are more upon their guard, 
to avoid their being exposed to the censure of 
Protestants whom they regard as so many spies 
upon them. 

I was to sooner arrived at Venice, but I had 
the good luck to procure myself the protection 
of some of the most considerable persons in that 
republic ; so that in less than a month's time I 
was provided with three small benefices, in three 
different churches, which gave me an occasion 
of conversing with a vast number of clergymen 
of all nations, who resort to that city of liberty, 
there to enjoy the pleasures of this life. After I 
had staid three years here, I undertook another 
journey to Rome, having been drawn thither 
by the promises of a cardinal, who died eight 
days after my arrival there. This unlooked for 
accident, having* defeated the hopes I had for- 
merly of making a longer stay in that city, I 
departed thence some months after. Having vi- 
sited before the city of Maples, I took my jour- 
ney towards Milan, without any design of mak- 
ing any stay there; but the persuasion of some 
noblemen of that country made me change my 
resolution. The abbot of Great S. Victor, amongst 
others, made me very considerable offers, to ob- 
lige me to stay in his abbey, and to take upon me 
the care of instructing his religious, according as 
he knew I had done in the abbey of S. Michael, 
in Sonoma, that was the same order as his, 
which at length induced me to yield to his desire. 
By this means I found myself anew engaged with 
Monks, 

I have 



303 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

I have here on this occasion, Sir, hinted to you 
several parts of Italy, where 1 have made my 
abode for some time, and the employments I have 
had there; but without the least intent of boast- 
ing myself on that account, but only to inform 
you, that what I take upon me to speak here 
concerning the priests and monks, is from a tho- 
rough knowledge and experience, as having had 
abundant opportunities to make these observa- 
tions, which many (who have handled the same 
subject) have been wholly deprived of. I have 
had several other employments both in Italy and 
Germany, which I might with more reason boast 
©f, if I was so minded ; but they having no re- 
ference to the subject in hand, I pass them by 
in silence. Though indeed it be not altogether 
out of the way, for one in my circumstances, to 
make mention of the employments he has had 
beyond the seas, and the honourable way of 
subsistence he has been in, if it were only to 
confute the calumnies the Papists are wont to cast 
upon the priests of their religion, who leave their 
communion, to satisfy their consciences by join- 
ing themselves to that of the reformed churches: 
their common cry is, that such are either mere 
vagabonds, or persons that had nothing to live 
on at home in their own country, and who were 
weary of the condition they were in, for want of 
some good benefice wherewith plentifully to main- 
tain themselves ; or else, that it is nothing but a 
spirit of lihertanism, that prompts to make this 
change. This last aspersion being the most odi- 
ous and reflecting of all, made me very care- 
ful (when I was in Italy) to obviate it, by tak- 
ing attestations of my good-behaviour and man- 
ners from all the places where I had made any 
stay, that I might have them in readiness to clear 
myself from any such reproach, in case any 
should be found malicious enough to rank me 



OF CORRUPTION, fyc. 309 

in that number, so that indeed (by the grace 
and goodness of God) I may now speak boldly 
and openly, without the least danger or appre- 
hension from the most envenomed tongues ; yet for 
all this, I must profess, that the subject of this last 
Letter, is very averse to my natural humour and 
inclination, viz. to expose the vices and defects 
of others : but yet, when I consider on the other 
hand, that Jesus Christ often declaimed very se- 
verely against the hypocrisy of the scribes and pha- 
risees of his time, and this to inform the people, 
and deter them from following their ways, I con- 
clude, it cannot be unlawful (upon good ground 
and occasions) to publish the sins of those who are 
not only the main corrupters of the morality, but 
also of the principles and doctrines of the gospel, 
to the end we may oblige others, to be warned and 
take heed of them, as of Wolves in sheep's cloth- 
ing, cavete a fermento pharisceorum ; take heed 
of the leaven of the pharisees. By this means, 
also, it will appear, what use is made of all those 
vast sums of money which accrue to the priests 
of the Church of Rome, by those subtile inven- 
tions and religious artifices wherewith I have en- 
tertained you in my foregoing Letters ; for it is 
evident, that gold and silver can serve only for 
the use of men; and by the use they make of it, 
we may easily judge of the end they propound- 
ed to themselves, in searching for the means to 
obtain it. 

Having therefore more especially applied my- 
self, during my abode in Italy, to find out the ways 
the priests and monks had, to dispose of and spend 
their vast revenues, I found, that it was only to 
satisfy and glut the domineering appetites, lusts, 
and passions. Some of them are such idolaters of 
Mammon, that the more they heap up, the less 
they think themselves possessed of; and thus 
die (like little croesus's, or rather like bad rich 

men) 



310 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

nien) in the midst of their riches, from which 
nothing but death could separate them.. It is the 
comman cry of the poor in that country, that no- 
thing* can he more inexorable, more insensible, or 
more pitiless than the clergy. It is mere labour 
lost, to address one's self to them for an alms; 
for at the best one meets with a denial, and very 
often with scornful and taunting words, so that 
their covet ousness is like an unsaleable gulf, 
which swallows all, and gives up nothing again. 
I have known several priests, who had their 
coffers full of gold, and notwithstanding grudged 
themselves a piece of dry bread; and some of these 
were so dextrous as to make their sordid avarice 
pass for a love of abstinence and mortification ; 
but in the mean time were so far from bestowing 
the least alms on the poor, that they could not en- 
dure that any one should ask them a charity ; 
whence it was obvious to make this discovery, 
that so fair a virtue as abstinence is, could not 
be the inmate of such sordidly covetous breasts ; 
for according to that saying, Sub lev amen paupe- 
ris sit abstinentia jejunantis ; The abstinence of 
him that fasts, ought to be a relief for the poor. 

Others bestow their money in building palaces 
for themselves; I say palaces; for though, in- 
deed, it would much better become their pro- 
fession to provide for themselves houses in which 
some marks of that Christian humility might be 
discerned, which is so indispensable a qualifica- 
tion of ministers of the altar ; yet so far are they 
from this temper, that they spare no cost to erect 
for themselves most stately and sumptuous fa- 
bricks, beyond the magnificence of the palaces 
of the greatest princes. For proof of what I 
here alledge, we need only cast an eye upon all 
the monasteries of Italy; and those who have 
travelled those countries know, that the fairest 
palace which is found near the church, is al- 
ways 



OF CORRUPTION, $c. 311 

ways the curate's house. Others consume their 
revenues in making* much of themselves, and 
contriving ways for their pleasure and diver- 
sion; for seeing they have no families to pro- 
vide for, It would be a profanation, say they, 
of the gifts of God y (so they call the immense 
riches they have got by their masses) in ease 
they should not make use of them, to make 
much of themselves in this world, ivho do so 
much good to the souls of purgatory in the other* 
For this reason it is, we see their tables so de- 
liciously and profusely covered, and that they 
entertain one another by turns, with such ex- 
qusitness, splendour, and magnificence ; inso- 
much that their inclination this way, has autho- 
rized that proverbal expression, so common in 
Italy, by which they call any extraordinary dain- 
ty, Boccone di petri o di cardinali ; a bit for 
a priest or cardinal. What I have here said 
concerning those, objects that please the pallate, 
is to be understood proportionally concerning 
all other things that do any way contribute to a 
delicious and luxurious life, which they take 
care to procure for themselves with a superflu- 
ous profuseness altogether inexcusable. Should 
any man be tempted with a desire to see the 
very utmost height of vanity or wantonness, and 
of effeminacy, he need only to take a view of 
the court of Rome, which, as it is composed only 
of priests and monks, so it boasts itself, of sur- 
passing in gallantry, pomp, and magnificence, 
those of the greatest and most potent monarchs 
of the earth. 

Here you will find bishops that have two or 
three bishoprics, and abbots that have five or 
six abbies apiece. It is a kind of disgrace for 
at} ecclesiastic, to have no more than one benefice; 
for, indeed, without a great revenue, one can 
make no figure in this court of priests. Yea, the 

vanity 



312 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

vanity of this court is mounted to that excess, that 
the members of it are so far from blushing at it, 
that they make it the principal matter of their 
glory and boasting. A cardinal or bishop doe£ 
not make an hunting match, does not feast his 
consorts, but the whole world, forsooth, must 
ring of it. All the gazettes we have from Ilome 3 
are stuffed full of such vanities are these, That 
my lord the cardinal N. has given a visit to one 
•of his colleagues : that another was at the opera; 
or caused a rich livery to be made for his reti- 
nues, and appeared in public with a train of 
so many coaches. I have often made it my di- 
version, whilst I was at Rome, to see the car- 
dinals (on Sunday morning) ride to the Vetican, 
when the Pope held chapel there. They are 
tricked up like so many scarlet puppets in their 
coaches, and all their creatures are about them, 
with an air that proclaims them extremely effemi- 
nate and wanton. After all, I confess, a man 
must needs have a very strong faith to believe, 
that this sort of people are no sooner met toge- 
ther in a chamber, but the Holy Ghost is instantly 
in the midst of them, to give law to the consci- 
ences of all men. If to meet together with such 
excess of ambition and vanity, be to meet in the 
name of the Lord, it is certain our Saviour Jesus 
Christ, who appeared in so mean and humble a 
condition, did not come into the world in the 
same name. Every cardinal has his nephew or 
nearest kinsman with him, who holds his scarlet 
hat in the boot of the coach ; which is a signal 
honour to him, and a mark of his being the most 
beloved creature of the cardinal. 

It is this nepotism, that made such a noise in the 
time of the late Pope Innocent the Xlth, and 
which he (who, to give him his due, was a man 
severe enough in his morals) resolved wholly to 
extirpate, having begun the reformation in his 

own 



OF CORRUPTION, 313 

own house ; but we see now, that things are quietly, 
and without noise, returned to their old channel, 
All the endeavours of Pope Innocent the Xlth, 
were only like the sprinkling* of a little cold wa- 
ter upon red hot iron, which serves only to make 
it more fiery and glowing; and for my part, I 
must own, that I cannot conceive how a church 
(where flesh and blood ride so gloriously trium* 
pliant, and prevail to that excessive degree) can 
ever have the face to boast, That the gates of hell 
shall never prevail against her. This nepotism, 
or exaltation of their nephews, does not only take 
place at the Court of Rome, but (whether from 
imitation, or by natural inclination of promoting* 
those who are nearly related to us) we find it ob- 
tain amongst all the rest of the clergy, who are 
not perfect slaves to avarice, or the love of plea- 
sure. They think of nothing* else, but how they 
may enrich those of their family, whose humour 
pleaseth them best. I confess, indeed, that this is 
the most commendable and most innocent way of 
employing* their treasure, as carrying some ap- 
pearance of charity in it ; though, (to speak the 
truth) we can never make Christian virtue of it* 
as being common to us with the heathens them- 
selves : the Turks do good to those of their 
kindred and friends, as well as the priests of 
the Church of Rome, and probably also do it 
during their lives, which these latter are very 
seldom found guilty of, because they commonly 
do not dispose of the riches to those of their fa- 
mily, till they see death ready to snatch them 
away. This nepotism, therefore, is a vast gulf, 
which swallows great part of the ecclesiastical 
revenues ; but there is another abyss that de- 
vours incomparably much more, and in a way 
that is not only a scandal and reproach to their 
profession, but even to nature itself; and is, in a 
word, the abominable commerce they drive with 
both sexes, 

E e AH 



314 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

All the world knows, that it is not lawful for 
the priests and monks of the Church of Rome, 
to marry, as having protested against a thing, 
(to use their own terms) which defiles and pol- 
lutes a man, and makes him incapable of du- 
ly and purely serving at the altar* It is upon 
this principle they refuse to marry, and the 
priest that can be convicted of violating this law, 
must be burnt alive. But for all this their huf- 
fing, they perceive well enough, that all this 
while they reckon without their host, and this 
great undertaking of theirs, proves quite ano- 
ther thing in effect, than it was in speculation. 
Take but a little leisure to read their lives, and 
you will find they have no sooner made their 
vow of chastity, but they study and invent (with 
all the application imaginable) how to break it* 
They have voluntarily debarred themselves from 
honest and lawful wedlock, and must now be- 
take themselves to fornication, adultery, incest, 
and sacrilege, to satisfy their concupiscence, and 
glut their infamous lusts. Now, to do this, there 
must be money, because the debauched sex is 
doubly concerned for having to do with them, 
and therefore do not afford them so good quar- 
ters as they do to others ; and tbeir wenches 
have the boldness to tell them, That since it is 
a greater sin to have to do with them, than 
with others, it is but just they should pay ac- 
cordingly. The clergy, therefore, finding that 
the world carries it somewhat uncivil towards 
them in this regard, and groaning to see them- 
selves in a condition to stand in need of them, 
resolve on their side, (as far as possible) to be 
even with them; accordingly, they will not say 
a m^ss or prayer, or go a step upon any score ] 
whatsoever, without being well paid for it. If f 
they be sent for to baptize an infant, to exhort 
a sick body, ot to bury a corps, they first de- i 

mand i 



OF CORRUPTION, $c. 315 

mand what they will give them for their pains, 
and budge not till the bargains be made. They 
solicit for money towards their confraternities, 
their festivals, processions, benedictions, and de- 
votions of the souls in purgatory, with incredi- 
ble importunity and earnestness, as being a 
prompt and effectual expedient, to fill their 
purses. There is nothing disquiets them more, 
than the persuasion which possesseth the sex 
they love, That to have to do icith men conse- 
crated to God, (as they are) is a kind of sa- 
crilege, and the worst of all crimes. This, in- 
deed, is a consequence which very plainly fol- 
lows from their principles ; but which they not- 
withstanding, endeavour to veil as much as ever 
they can. You seldom hear them preaching* 
against wantonness, incontinence, adultery, &c. ; 
and if at any time they do, it is without being 
invective, and so as to diminish the horror any 
one might have conceived of these crimes. Yea, 
gome of them are arrived to that degree of im- 
pudence to publish, That these are the most in- 
nocent of all other vices, and that God, consi- 
dering that they are born and grown up with 
us, and have their rise from the blood and body 
that surround us, is very ready to forgive and 
pardon them. They say, That such sins as these 
are instances of human frailty, and provided a 
person be only convinced of his weakness there- 
in, confess them, and be humble for them, it is 
enough; and one Ave Mary, or the sign of the 
cross, icith a sprinkling of holy-water, is (ill 
the penance that is ordinarily for such pecca- 
dillo's as these. 

They are w r ont also, to treat seculars very 
smoothly in this point, at their confession, and in 
particular the female sex; Lest (they say) by 
treating them too harshly, they might he dis- 
couraged another time to confess them with all 

E e 2 their 



3E6 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

their circumstances. But the true reason is, that 
in so doing-, they may oblige the seculars, to be 
as favourable towards them in their censures 
on the like occasion, and that they may not be 
too strictly observed themselves when they fall 
into the same crimes* Indeed, auricular and se- 
cret confession, is the most commodious way 
the priests have to lodge their game; it is there 
they put women to the question, and by this 
means accustoming- them (by little and little) 
from their youth up to speak with confidence 
of their secret sins, they make them at length 
lose that natural sliamefacedness, which other- 
wise they would be sensible of, in making the 
least mention of such filthiness. Being therefore 
by this means informed of their inclinations and 
weak side, if they find them to be of an amorous 
complexion, it is an easy thing* for them to speak 
for themselves, and to insinuate their own pas- 
sions. It is notoriously evident, that commonly 
none but women go to confession ; for, as for 
men, they seldom use it more than once a year, 
and that towards Easter. The reason whereof 
having been once asked in my presence, a per- 
son of very good sense returned this answer, 
That the reason tvhy none but women were seen to 
confess, was, because men were confessors ; but, 
that if women were once possessed of the chair of 
confession, we should soon find the contrary, and 
that none but men would appear before them. The 
reason is, because women for the most part, take 
pleasure in their confessing, being' well assured, 
that their confessors will put such question to 
them, as cannot much displease them; and know- 
ing, that how openly soever they may declare 
their sins, the seal of confession will always put 
them out of danger of running any risque there- 
by: yet, there are not wanting avast number of 
those, who by relying upon the secrecy of this tri- 
bunal, 



OF CORRUPTION, $c. 31 7 

buna!, and encouraged by the exhortations of 
their priests, of hiding" nothing from them, no not 
so much &s their impure thoughts, make no dif- 
ficulty ingenuously to declare, that they love 
them; that they can neither day nor night rid their 
spirit from running' out after them; and their a- 
morous temptations are so violent, that except 
God be pleased to restrain them, or to take some 
compassion on them, it will make them infallibly 
go mad and distracted. 

The men (especially in Italy) go but seldom to 
confession because they do not love to be ques- 
tioned or examined about their amours, a Capu- 
chin friar (who was very ugly, and the very pic- 
ture of a satyr, with his great beard) told me 
once smiling, That his confession seat iras a 
scare-crow to women; but that, to make amends 
for that, he was the great confessor of jealous 
lovers. His meaning was, that women did not 
care to confess to him, because he was ugly; but 
that on the other hand, men did choose to confess 
to him the rather, because he was so, as judging 
him incapable of injuring them by becoming their 
rival. A confessor, who has a design to make a 
bad use of his ministerial function, may easily 
find means, by the questions he can put, and to 
which his penitent is obliged to answer, to dis- 
cover the person he speaks of, accordingly may 
afterwards find means of attempting hen 

A young noble Venetian, having been upon a 
time too indiscreetly questioned by a monk in his 
confession, where his mistress dwelt, swore he 
would never confess upon that point any more, 
except it were at the point of death, or at least, 
when he should be weary of his mistress, and no 
more apprehend, to have a competitor in his love, 

I have been told by several gentlewomen, that 
confessors have come to visit them in their houses, 
being led thither only by the light they have got 

E e 3 from 



318 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

from the confession of their penitents. This con- 
fession is one of the new sacraments of the Church 
of Rome, and we see to what goodly ends it is 
made use of, and the interest the priest s and monks 
have to preserve it. This is that which makes 
them so boldly to protest against marriage, which 
they care so little for; the corruption of man's 
nature being so great, that it represents sin more 
sweet and pleasant to him, than that which is hon- 
est and lawful. 

I remember a saying of a regular abbot of a 
monastery in Italy, who talking with me about 
women, said, Melius est habere mull am quam ali- 
quant ; That it was better to have none than any ; 
and having demanded of him what he meant by 
those words ; Because (said he) when a person is 
not tied to one, he may make use of many. This 
you will say was a fine piece of morality; and to 
give this prelate his due, his practice was very 
conformable to his doctrine. He entertained above 
a score of women with the revenues of his abbey; 
he had many country houses, which he returned 
into as many brothel-houses for himself and his 
friends, where he splendidly entertained them; 
and the excessive expence he was at in these 
places of pleasure, procured him the surname of 
Liberal. But he was not of the same humour to- 
wards his poor farmers, who laboured hard 
to make the best of his incomes, and to till 
his ground : for he was to them an insatiable ex- 
actor and oppressor, insomuch as they could 
scarcely get out of him some part of the money, 
which was of right due to them. These poor men 
finding themselves so ill-treated by him, resolved 
on a time to have their full revenge of him, and to 
play their master such a malicious tfick, as he 
m . at have reason to remember ever after. They 
kne very well the archbishop was a sworn ene- 
my to monks and abbots, and therefore questioned 



OF CORRUPTION, £c. 3W 

not, but they would find him in a disposition of 
favouring- their enterprize. They went therefore, 
and complained to him of the scandalous life their 
abbot led, who was at that time three leagues dis- 
tant from Bononia, at one of his country-houses, 
with three young women, who lie in the same 
bed with him every night. The archbishop hav- 
ing taken their information, lost no time, but the 
same evening, sent away all his marshalsea, com- 
posed of the harigel or provost, and threescore 
sbirries or Serjeants, well armed, with order to 
seize the abbot, and the women that were with 
him. They arrived at the abbot's country-house 
but a moment after he was gone to bed. The 
farmers, who had got the word and the keys of all 
the doors, made the provost, with the sbirries , 
enter direct into the prelate's chamber; who, 
(you may easily imagine) was extremely surprized 
with this unwelcome and unlooked for visit. He 
desired to compound with the provost, and the 
sbirries, as he had often done before ; and to per- 
suade them the better, opened to them a purse 
full of gold; but their orders were too express to 
be so eluded, and the farmers, who out of pure 
revenge had solicited the seizing of their landlord, 
were in presence, and would not have failed to 
give in their full information concerning all that 
had passed, to the archbishop: so the barigel 
and sbirries (though people otherwise of base and 
covetous minds) upon this occasion shewed a forced 
resolution, not to be corrupted by the prelate's 
gold. Accordingly they took the abbot stark nak- 
ed, as he was, without suffering him to put any 
thing upon him, besides a morning-gown ; and in 
this equipage, having mounted him with his con- 
cubines, upon an old cart they found in a back- 
yard of the house, they tied them all together 
back to back, and thus led them in triumph in 
the most ignominious and reproachful manner in- 
to 



820 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

to the city of Bononia, before the archbishop. It 
was midnight when they arrived, and the thick 
darkness of the night, favoured the poor abbot 
very much, sparing- him a great deal of confu- 
sion, he would otherwise have been put to. The 
archbishop seeing him in this condition, fell a 
laughing, and by way of raillery, told him, That 
since it was not lawful for him to take any cog- 
nizance of the affairs of monks, he was willing 
so Jar to honour them, as to make themselves 
the judges of their brethren; and so ordered him 
with his wenches, at that very instant, to be car- 
ried in the same posture to S. Michael in the 
Wood, a monastery of the same order, about a 
cannon-shot distance from the city. It was about 
one of the clock in the morning, when all this 
goodly train arrived there. The sbirries knocked 
with that violence at the gates of the monastery, 
and made such a hollowing and shouting, that 
the abbot himself was fain to rise, and to go 
(accompanied by all his monks) to the great gate, 
where he met with a sight he had little dreamed 
of. He at first would not acknowledge the old 
abbot for his brother, upon pretext, forsooth, he 
was in his night-gown, without the habit of his 
order, and refused to receive him into the mo- 
nastery ; but the sbirries told him, That if he 
was so resolved, they had no more to do, but to 
carry him back again to the archbishop, ivho 
would not fail to send for his habit, and send 
him back the next day at high-noon, in his pre- 
lates habit, and accompanied with his doxies, as 
now he was. The abbot, perceiving that nothing 
could be gained this way, but a double reproach 
and confusion, commanded his friars, to go and 
unloose him, and so admitted him into the monas- 
tery, and let the women go. The penance im- 
posed upon this abbot, for the affront and scan- 
dal he had given, was this; to abide fifteen days 



OF CORRUPTION, §c 321 

in the monastery without stirring* abroad, which 
was the more easy for him to submit to, because 
the noise of his gallant story being- spread through 
the whole city, he could not well any sooner, 
(without great shame and confusion) have appear- 
ed in the streets. The general, who might easily 
have deposed him from his charge of abbot, was 
of opinion, that for so light a fault as this, it was 
not worth the pains to proceed to so rigid a cen- 
sure; and thus by a spirit of charity, which will 
not permit us to do that to another, which we 
would not have others do to us, especially when 
we find ourselves in the same circumstances, con- 
tented himself to make him exchange his abbey 
for some time, and entertained him at his own 
monastery of Mount Olivet. 

I have given you a true and faithful relation of 
this history, as having been an eye-witness of 
part of it myself, because it happened during 
the time that I was in the monastery of S. Mi- 
chael in the Wood. This accident gave me oc- 
casion of making a very pleasant discovery : for 
upon the sbirries entering into the monastery, a 
young religious being extremely affrighted, and 
apprehending lest they might make a narrow 
search into his chambers, where for three weeks 
time he had kept a young lass, came directly to 
me, and without much considering to whom he 
addressed himself, desired me, for the love of 
God, to hide his mistress in one of the most pri- 
vate chambers of my apartment, until the storm 
was over. But notwithstanding the extreme 
earnestness wherewith he solicited my consent, I 
did not think it fit to expose my own credit, to 
save his ; and knowing- w ithal how dangerous it 
is, to give a downright refusal to an Italian, and 
more especially to a monk; I in the mildest 
way I could, wished him to address himself to 
the apothecary of the abbey, who was a young 

man 



322 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

man of his own country, and was not so scru- 
pulous in that point, as I was : the religious 
following* my council, found the apothecary very 
ready to comply with his desire, and without 
making any difficulty, took her from him, and 
shut her up in one of the large presses of his 
shop, where she continued the rest of that night 
and the day following, in deadly fears. The 
young* monk came to me the next morning, to 
excuse himself, and, (as it is likely) being trou- 
bled that he had given me the occasion, (by the 
discovery he had made to me) to believe, that the 
rest of his brethren were better than he ; he took 
the freedom to discover to me several things, 
which till then, I was ignorant of, though I had 
now already continued six months amongst them : 
he told me, That most of his brethren had their 
wenches, whom they kept in their chambers ; and 
that they got them in from abroad f rom time to 
time, where they kept them, some a week, others 
a fortnight, or a months according to the bar- 
gain they had made with them, and the ability of 
their purse : the abbot himself, was not igno- 
rant of it; but prevalent custom had reduced 
things to that pass amongst them, that he was 
fain to wink at all, and content himself with 
the presents they made him from time to time, 
for so doing : the most convenient time they had 
to get their wenches into the abbey, was about 
the beginning of the night ; who, being come to 
a place, ( according to the appointment) and pre- 
cisely at such an hour: the monks, who had sent 
for them, brought the cowl and frocks, and so 
dressed them in their own habit ; which done, 
these good friars entered all, icithotit distinction, 
into the monastery, in greater number than they 
were gone out. 

I had, indeed, formerly often been surprized, to 
gee several new figures of monks entering in the 

dormitories, 



OF CORRUPTION, $c. 323 

dormitories, which I had never seeti before ; and 
upon my enquiry, they had always made me be- 
lieve, that they were some stranger-monks, that 
were come to lodge with them. Most of the re- 
ligious have double rooms, whereby they have a 
great convenience of entertaining their women 
unperceived. The abbots make their profit of it, 
for a religious cannot have one of these double- 
chambers, without paying about an hundred 
crowns for it; and they are very well acquainted 
what it is designed for ; but provided their reli- 
gious only take care, to manage the matter so, 
that it may not come to the knowledge of secu- 
lars, they do not trouble themselves about it ; nei- 
ther doth this hinder them from being advanced 
to religious charges and employments, as much 
as if they were the holiest persons of the world, 

I was acquainted at Venice with a regular c«- 
7ion of the abbey of S. Saviour, who was a young 
man of considerable learning, and who publicly 
taught philosophy. This man entertained the 
most infamous woman that was in the wliole city, 
and who commonly served for a model to the lim- 
ners of the academy. It was above a year that 
he had commerce with her, and his abbot gave 
him leave (every evening) during Shrovetide, to 
dress himself in masquerade, and to go to her 
lodging, and lead her thence to the opera or co- 
medy ; after which, he either brought her along 
with him to his chamber, in the monastery, or else 

f>assed the rest of the night with her at her own 
odging. Now, as long as the matter was carried 
secretly, and without making any noise abroad, 
the abbot let the young monk take his swing, 
without giving him the least check or reproof for 
it : and having a particular kindness for him, he 
had already disposed all things in order to his be- 
ing chosen abbot; when, by (ill luck for this 
young friar) a great number oi artizans, who liv- 
ed 



324 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

ed in the same street with this courtizan, and 
who, probably, were displeased with his frequent 
visits to her, came and made their complaints to 
the monastery. The abbot having heard what 
they had to say, endeavoured what he could to 
sweeten them, and to excuse the monk ; but all 
this did but incense them the more; and the 
next Sunday they gathered together in the churchy 
near to the chapel where this young religious 
was wont to say mass, being resolved publicly to 
affront him, and to stop him from going to the 
altar; but the abbot having notice of it, sent 
them a piece of money, to make them desist from 
prosecuting- their design ; whereupon they retir- 
ed without more ado : but the abbot perceiving 
the thing had taken wind, and was become the 
public talk of the city, thought it now high time 
to declare himself against the monk; and not- 
withstanding he had never before given him the 
least reproof for his high misdemeanour, he then 
wrote a letter to the father-general of the order, 
to deprive him of his salary ; and about a fort- 
night after, there came an order, by which he 
was put out of his place of philosophy-lecturer, 
and sent away to a small monastery in the coun- 
try. His crime, as far as I could search into the 
matter, was not for having* entertained an infa- 
mous familiarity with a common prostitute, for 
this his superior had been well acquainted with 
a year ago ; but his fault was, that he had been so 
unhappy, not to use that caution, so as to prevent 
its coming to public knowledge. 

Italy, without contradiction, is accounted by all 
for a very corrupt and debauched country ; and 
it is as sure, that the priests and monks (a sort of 
people, who have vowed eternal chastity) are the 
main occasion of being branded with this just re- 
proach. The immense treasures they possess, are 
a scandal and stumbling stone unto them, and loose 

women, 



OF CORRUPTION, £c* 325 
women, who are not ignorant of this, accourit 
themselves happy to be taken into their favour; it 
being a proverb in Italy, That the wench of a 
priest or monk, can never want any thing. The 
monks, besides the vow of chastity, have also 
taken upon them that of poverty, and according- 
ly ought never to possess any money of their own, 
but the avarice of the Popes have made them, m 
opposition to their vow, proprietors* To what 
purpose is it, to cover the institution of monastic 
orders, under the fair pretext of leading a more 
Christian life, than secular men do; when it is so 
apparent that the principal motive of their in- 
stitution was the filling of the Pope's cotfers, 
and the enriching of the prelates of the court of 
Rome ? Let any one go and search as long as they 
please in cloisters for that spirit of chastity, po- 
verty, and obedience, which in them is expressly 
professed, and after all, it is certain he will find 
there less of these, than in many secular fami- 
lies: but, sure it is, the Pope always find them 
ready to furnish him with what sum of money he 
stands in need of. The reason why the Popes in- 
stitute so many new orders, is, because they are 
morally certain, they will not stand long, without 
falling, and departing from the rules and strict- 
ness of their institution, and that this will make 
way for their suppression, which cannot but be 
of vast advantage to them. It is not long since 
that the Pope suppressed three of them all at 
once, viz., the Order of S. Jerom, that of the Je- 
suits, and that of the Waters, who likewise pro- 
fessed the rule of S. Jerom. The institution of 
this last Order was, a very pleasant one, and 
their exit was as ridiculous. 

The first fathers of this Order being inspired (as 
they said) by the Holy Ghost, set themselves to 
distil waters and spirits, for the relief and service 
of poor sick people ; and this their distilling of 

F f waters? 



326 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

waters, was their character of distinction from 
others, and made them to be called Fathers of 
the Waters* A short time after, all this -spiritua- 
lity was reduced to a distilling of beautifying 
waters for the ladies, to make their hands white, 
and to preserve or augment their beauty. All 
these three Orders were become extremely rich 
and scandalous, when the Pope thought fit to 
suppress them, and to unite to the patrimony of 
the church all their possessions, giving their 
churches to other monks, who, at the bottom* 
were never a whit better than those they were 
taken from. This was, indeed, a very rude treat- 
ment from them, thus at once to divest them of 
all their revenues and incomes, and to force 
them, though sore against their will, to the prac- 
tice of their vow of poverty, by reducing- them 
to beggary, and the charitable benevolence of 
their friends and acquaintance. This is, that 
which makes the monks so much dread these sup- 
pressions ; and the Popes, who are not ignoi'ant 
of it, have nothing to do, but to threaten them 
therewith, whenever they have a mind to squeeze 
a considerable sum of money from them, which 
method, the late Pope Innocent the Xlth. seve- 
ral times put in practice, as well against the Or- 
der of the canons regular, as several other con- 
gregations of the Order of S. Bennett. 

The Order of Mount Olivet alone, at one time, 
made him a present of an hundred thousand 
crowns, to appease his anger; though it was not 
long before this, t> at another Pope had squeezed 
out of them, by the same artifice, the sum of 
400,000 crowns; and, because for this reason it 
was impossible for them to raise that sum in 
ready money, within a short term was allotted 
them for it, he gave them leave to engage their 
funds, and mortgage the land belonging to their 
monastery ; which they did accordingly, and 

making 



OF CORRUPTION 327 

making- a dexterous use of this conjuncture, by 
striking whilst the iron was hot, they desired the 
Pope, whom they found at that time in a good 
humour, to give them leave to> receive pensions 
from their kindred and relations, and of possess- 
ing land in propriety ; which was in effect, to re- 
quest, that notwithstanding their vow of perpe- 
tual poverty ; it might be lawful for them, to be 
rich as any other seculars; and yet, as contra- 
dictory to their vow, as their request was, the 
Pope had the conscience to grant it, not only to 
them, but all other religious houses from whence 
he drew vast sums of money. 

This is that which at this day makes the monks 
ef Italy so full of money, and so well lined ; for, 
besides the competent allowance they have for 
their subsistance from the monastery, they enjoy 
besides, considerable annual pensions from their 
families, which they spend at their pleasure, and 
to satisfy their lusts. I have known some of 
them, myself, that had no less than 1000/. sterl- 
ing' annual pension. The cardinals, perceiving* 
that the Popes draw so considerable advantage 
from religious orders, are not wanting on their 
side, to make them as profitable to themselves, as 
they can ; and, to this end, have found out the 
way of selling them their protection, to whom 
they allow an annual pension of three or 4,000 
crowns; and this, for to obtain their favour and 
protection at the Court of Rome, upon occasion. 
The abbots of the congregation of Mount Olivet, 
finding that Innocent Xlth. was resolved to sup- 
press them, or, at least, made a shew to be so, 
they immediately had recourse to their protector, 
the Cardinal Faschenetti ; they wrote a letter to 
him, wherein they declared, the great danger in 
which their congregation was, and earnestly un- 
treated him to make use of all his credit with 
Ff 2 the 



328 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

the Pope, to stave off his fatal blow from them, 
and that in consideration of this seasonable ser- 
vice, they would augment his pension with the 
additional supplement of 1,000 crowns a year* I 
was present at that very time, when the cardinal 
opened this letter, and having read the promise 
they made" him of 1,000 crowns augmentation, he 
cried out in a most tender and affectionate tone, 
Jlhj my dear congregation of 'Mount Olivet, I will 
never suffer it to be said, That so great an af- 
front should happen unto thee, whilst I am thy 
protector : and immediately thereupon, sent his 
secretary to the Vatican ; to desire audience of 
the Pope, upon a matter that was extremely pres- 
sing*, and of great importance. He had the good 
luck to be admitted to audience, at the very time 
when the act for suppressing the Order, was ac- 
tually drawing up. His eminence cast himself at 
the Pope*s feet, and told him weeping, That if 
he did proceed in his resolution, it would certain- 
ly be his death. The Pope, seeing him in this 
posture, lifted him up with a great deal of kind- 
ness, and the cardinal being his old friend, he 
promised, That, for his sake, he would not suppress 
the order as he did intend; and accordingly, we 
see it subsist until this day, though the monks 
of it be never a whit better than others, who have 
been suppressed. 

It would be matter of astonishment, to see so 
many monasteries and convents suffered in Italy, 
full of a sort of people, who being under a vow 
of obedience, take a full swing of their own wills 
and inclinations, who, professing poverty, are more 
proprietors than men of the world, and who hav- 
ing consecrated their virginity to God, live more 
scandalous and debauched lives, than can be im- 
agined ; I say, this would be matter of astonish- 
ment, but that it is notorious, That gold is more 

'powerful 



OF CORRUPTION, £c. 329 

poicerfvl at Rome, than God himself Can any 
thing be conceived more infamous and licenti- 
ous, than the lives of monks. He that doubts of 
it, needs only to go to Rome, Venice, or other 
principal cities of Italy, at Shrovetide, where he 
shall meet with nothing in the streets, but monks 
in masquerade, with their whores ; all the the- 
atres of comedies and operas, and all places of 
public shews and pastime, are thronged with 
them ; yea, and they glory in these their exces- 
ses, which ought to be the greatest matter of 
shame and confusion to them, 

I have been acquainted with a vast number of 
monks, who at Shrovetide seeing me, would draw 
near to me, and take off their vizards on purpose 
that I might take notice of them ; they had each 
of them a wench by the hand, and the next 
morning in the sextry, before they went to the 
altar to say mass, all their discourse was about 
the debaucheries and licentious pranks they had 
played the day before, and eilso what they intended 
to play the same day, after their drudgery of say- 
ing mass was over, I call to mind a story one of 
these monks on a time told me, which, because it 
contains some rare extraordinary circumstance, I 
think worthy of my communicating to you. The 
history I am about to tell you, happened at Ve- 
nice. This monk told me, that it was about three 
weeks since, that he had met with a very happy 
adventure, which was, that as he was going one 
evening to the play-house, he met with" a lady of 
quality in masquerade, who, (as far as he could 
guess from all circumstances) was a noble Vene- 
tian ; though at first, because she was alone, and 
because she rather addressed herself to him, than 
he to her, he took her to be a lady of pleasure ; 
and in this persuasion, he desired her to go along 
with him to the play-house ; the lady very readily 
accepted his offer, which being ended, he offered 

F F 3 her 



830 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

her his service to lead her home; and she who de- 
sired nothing more, presently made a sign to the 
men (that waited for her coming at the water- 
side in her gondola, to come and take her in. The 
monk stepped in with her, and spied at the far- 
ther end of the boat, a gentleman in masquerade, 
who received him with a great deal of civility. 
The lady fearing lest the unlooked-for meeting 
with this g-entleman, might affright or discom- 
pose her new gallant, bid him not to fear any 
harm ; and commanded the boatmen to pull 
away. It was about one of the clock in the morn- 
ing when they entered the gondola, and the moon 
being in the wane, and the heavens all covered 
with clouds, so that that nothing could be dis- 
cerned by any light from thence ; and the boat- 
men made so many turnings and windings through 
the canals of Venice, that it was impossible for 
him to discern in what part of the city he was. 
All that he could take notice of was, that the 
gondola stopped at a back gate of a stately pa- 
lace, whence immediately many vizarded lackies 
came forth with flambeaus to light them in. He 
was conducted by a private pair of stairs into a 
spacious dining-room, where he met with several 
persons with vizards. The monk, though he was 
a person of great confidence and resolution, con- 
fessed to me, that he was seized with an ex- 
treme terror, which received a considerable addi- 
tion, after the lady was withdrawn, and he saw 
himself left all alone with the gentleman, and 
some domestics, all masked ; for, as he assured 
me, he expected nothing less than death. But 
the gentleman, on the other had, used his utmost 
endeavours to assure and rid him of his fears. 
Soon after, the table was covered with a sump- 
tuous collation, and he was served with several 
sorts of the choicest wines. After which, he was 
shewed to a rich bed, where he was bid to lie 
down. The monk seeing there would be danger 



OF CORRUPTION, #6. 331 

for him, not to comply readily with every thing- 
they would have him to do, gave a ready obedi- 
ence to all their orders. He was no sooner got in- 
to bed, but the fire and all the tapers in the 
room were put out, and immediately after the lady 
entered, and came to bed to him, giving him a 
thousand assurances, that not the least hurt should 
happen to him, and therefore, wishing him to 
discard all fear. He was thus kept and served 
for a fortnight together, in the manner as I have 
just now related, without ever being able to dis- 
cover where he was, or who any of the persons 
were that accompanied, or waited on him. All 
that be could o-uess from the lady's discourse was, 
That because she could have no children by her 
husband, he had consented to avenge himself of 
sbme of his nearest relations, to whom he was un- 
willing to leave his estate after his death, that 
she might find out some expedient to have an 
heir; and that they had not judged any way 
more proper for their design, than to make use of 
a young and handsome monk, as he was, to obtain 
their desire. Thus, after many civilities received, 
and a very kind and great entertainment (but 
withal, after having committed a great sin) he 
was sent away with the present of about fifty 
guineas value in gold ; and having, in a dark 
night, put him into a gondola, after many turn- 
ings and windings, they landed him near the 
place, where they had taken him in; neither was 
it possible for him ever after, to make any fur- 
ther discovery about this matter. He himself, re- 
lated to me this adventure, with such a trans- 
port of joy, (and this too, when he was upon the 
point of going up to the altar, to say mass) as 
made it evident, he would have been extremely 
satisfied, to find himself again in the same cir- 
cumstances. 

I have heard of another monk, who (in a much 

like 



332 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

like case, met with a very different success ; for 
having been brought by a lady of quality into 
her house, during her husband's absence, proba- 
bly, with the same design of providing him with 
an heir, but, by mishap for him, her husband be- 
ing unexpectedly returned, surprized the good 
friar, and took him napping; and having kept 
him close prisoner in a chamber for about a fort- 
night, till a certain holiday, on which a general 
procession was to be celebrated ; which the gen- 
tleman knew was to pass by his door: as the pro- 
cession was approaching, he caused his prisoner 
to be stripped stark naked, and after he had been 
soundly lashed by four of his lackies, just at 
the midst of the procession, as the Fathers Car- 
melites passed by, of whose Order this friar was, 
he turned him out of door, stark naked, with a 
written paper on his back, specifying his crime, 
and forced him thus to run through the proces- 
sion. This gave a very great offence, and the Fa- 
thers CarmeliteSj who found themselves most out- 
rageously affronted thereby, went and complained 
to the inquisition, pretending that the gentleman, 
who had thus horribly exposed one of their bro- 
therhood, could be no other than an heretic, and 
a sworn enemy to all religious orders, whom he 
had so outrageously abused in the person of their 
brother; but, however, notwithstanding all their 
rage, the honest man made a shift to defend and 
justify his proceeding against the diabolical ma- 
lice of these monks. 

I could furnish you here with an infinite num- 
ber of stories, concerning the amours and intri- 
gues of monks and priests, if I were not per- 
suaded, that it is the duty of every honest man, 
not to speak, but with great moderation of a 
vice, whereof the discovery is equally danger- 
ous to him that makes it, and to those to whom 
it is made. And therefore, sb^IJ only tell you, 

that 



OF CORRUPTION, fc. 333 

that I may cut short here, that I never, in my 
life, conversed with any one monk or priest, of 
the Church of Rome, for so long a time, as was 
sufficient to penetrate a little into their manner 
and course of life; but that I found at last, that 
they had secret commerce with women, or, which 
is worse, and what I would not willingly name, 
viz., that they were addicted to the abominable 
sin of S****y. And yet, many of those were 
mere saints to outward appearance, all their dis- 
course was of the Blessed Virgin, and of pur- 
gatory ; and the only reason why I desired their 
friendship, was because, at first, I took them to 
be very good and honest men ; but, some time 
after, I found, to my great regret, that I had 
been deceived by my too favourable opinion of 
them, • 

I was acquainted (during my stay at Venice) 
with one of them, that was the steward of a re- 
ligious house. He was a man of the most pro- 
mising physiognomy that could be; and I was 
much edified to see how modest and humble he 
was in his garb and behaviour. For, whereas, 
most of the monks of Italy, wear curious shining 
stuffs, fine bats, silk stockings, and neat shoes, 
he had nothing about him, but what was very 
plain and simple: he wore a great old hat, with 
a brim of a foot and an half broad, which flapped 
down over his ears, with a great pater noster of 
wood hanging down from his girdle; and, be- 
sides this, had an air and port, that breathed nothing 
but devotion; and his masses, which others have 
found a way to expedite in less than a quarter 
of an hour, always lasted an hour and an half. 
He was also a great lover of books, as being of 
some competent learning. These good qualities I 
observed in him, joined with some others that he 
professed, and the good report he had every 
where, though indeed acquired by his hypocrisy, 

were 



334 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

were the motives that engaged me, to endeavour 
an acquaintance with him; and I looked upon 
myself as very happy, in meeting with a great 
deal of facility in the executing of this my de- 
sign. During a seven months conversation I had 
with him, I perceived nothing by him, but what 
was good and honest: yea, he seemed to have 
something of a spirit of prophesy ; for, what he 
had publicly foretold of the raising of the siege 
of Vienna, and of the total defeat of the Turk- 
ish army, very particularly came to pass. It had 
been happy for him, could he as well have fore- 
seen the ill-consequences, which the licentious 
and flagitious life he led in secret, would draw 
down upon him, in order to have prevented 
them. This good monk (for so he was as to all 
outward appearance, and whom I looked upon as 
a man come from heaven) was obliged, by a 
troublesome accident that happened to him, to 
discover to me all his wicked life; a lewd wo- 
man, whom he bad kept for several years, was 
resolved at last to ruin his reputation ; she being 

Eerfectly well acquainted, how great a lover this 
ypocritical monk was of vain-glory, she had al- 
ready for some months threatened to expose him 
in his own colours to the world, in case he did 
not furnish her with the sum of money she de- 
manded of him. She had already, by these me- 
naces, drawn from him at twice an 100 crowns, and 
was now come for the third time, to demand the 
like sum, neither would he have mended himself 
a whit, by complying with her demand, because 
she would not have failed within a fortnight after to 
come with the same threats, viz. % That she teas re- 
solved to declare, in presence of the prior of the 
convent, and all the religious, that he ( through 
whose hands all the money of the convent pass- 
ed) had not only ravished her daughter, hut also 
abased one of her boys* in the most abominable 

manner 



OF CORRUPTION, S?c. 335 

manner imaginable. The monk owned, that he 
had to do with the one and the other, and the mo- 
ther too; but that he had not been the first ; for- 
asmuch as long before his acquaintance with 
them, they had been prostitutes, and that besides 
they had been well paid for it : that in the mean 
time, to put some stop to her impudence, he de- 
sired me to go and warn her seriously, That if 
she would not be satisfied with the money he had 
already given her, he was resolved to get her 
murdered. I was so far from offering* him my ser- 
vice in this affair, that from that time forwards, 
I conceived the greatest horror and aversion for 
him, and took a firm resolution never to see him 
more. However, I had the curiosity before I took 
my last leave of him, to ask him, what was the 
reason why he went so strangely dressed, and 
such a slouching* hat hanging over his ears ; he 
who took such great pleasure in courting* of wo- 
men? He told me, that he had found the habit he 
wore, very advantageous and useful to him, that 
being an officer of the monastery, when he went 
to receive any rents, the persons concerned had 
the greater respect for him; and besides this, that 
it was also very beneficial to fill his own purse, 
which he shewed me how. For as our monaste- 
ries (said he) are never without suits of laic, 
every one knoics what is the set price of an as- 
signation, a warrant, a contract, an acquittance, 
and an hundred other formalities used in laic. It 
is sufficient when I give in my accounts, that I 
have made use of so many assignations, consul- 
tations, acquittances, &c. which do amount to such 
a sum : all, or most of which , is my profit: for, 
I sometimes, I have disbursed nothing at all for 
them. 1 go to the lawyers, the attorney, aud no- 
tary, with my great slouching hat, and in a pi- 
tiful whining tone, I represent to the utmost of 
my power, the extreme poverty of our monastery, 

and 



2m THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

and that so effectually, as often to move them to 
compassion ; and so they either take no money at 
all of me, or else content themselves with a very 
little ; so that the money of these formalities of 
law, comes into my own pocket, neither am I 
obliged to give an account thereof to my superu 
ors, as being the fruit and product of my own 
industry* Whereas, (said he) should I present 
myself to these men of the late, with a little 
hat> and a neat habit, they would presently rally 
me tcith a see here a company of good fat monks, 
who live at ease and pleasure, and have wherewith 
to pay well, and so they shall ; and accordingly 
would make me pay to the utmost rigour. And 
m for women, (said he) / am already assured, 
that though my person may not please them, yet 
my money will: and that as long as I am stored 
with that, 1 shall never fail of being welcome to 
them. 

This discourse made me conceive, that all those 
great flapping hats, those old and threadbare 
cowls, the long beards of the capuchins, and the 
high collars of the Jesuits, are no certain proof 
(as some suppose) that those who wear them are 
good and honest men. The knowledge also I have 
had of their disorders, has powerfully convinced 
me, that the sin of uncleanness is that which reigns 
most absolutely, and without controul amongst 
them; and that of all these vowers of chastity, 
there are but a very few, and may be, none at all, 
that observe it indeed, and in truth; for God will 
never afford his blessing to confidences, or rash 
vows. 

For all that has been said, it will not be diffi- 
cult to conceive, how the Roman clergy can make 
away with those vast revenues they are possessed 
of, this sin of the flesh, being one of those vices 
that requires great expences to maintain it. True 
it isj that priests and monks are not all of them 

equally 



OF CORRUPTION, Spc. 337 

equally rich ; for, there be some of them, that 
have neither benefices nor pensions, and who, con- 
sequently, are not in a condition to spend as high 
as others, who yet spend proportionably to their 
incomes. I have known some of them who had 
nothing to live upon, but the money they receiv- 
ed for their masses, who did almost starve them- 
selves with hunger, to spare something to enable 

them to visit a w e-house once a fortnight, or 

at least once a month. There are others of them 
who have such base and mean souls, that they 
learn handicrafts, and exercise them in private, 
to gain some money: yea, there be not wanting 
some of them who Kearn to make women's cloths, 
as mantnas, stays, and petticoats ; that by this 
means they may have an occasion of freer access 
to them; some of them profess the art of fortune- 
telling, and some of them are downright nicro- 
mancers. Lastly, there be others who are not only 
base and mean, but also sacrilegious ; for though 
(according- to their principles) to celebrate more 
masses than one a day, be one of the greatest pro- 
fanations a man can be guilty of, yet these priests 
and monks, who sacrifice all that is sacred and 
holy to their own interest, do easily get over this 
difficulty, and say sometimes three or four masses 
a day in several places. 

Once on a holiday, I heard mass said very early 
in the morning in the Church of S. Mark at Ve- 
nice, by a poor priest of my acquaintance ; and 
having occasion the same morning to go to Mu- 
ran, which is but a little league distant from Ve- 
nice, as I passed through a church, I saw the 
same priest celebrating another mass. About two 
hours after, I was obliged to go to a place called 
V Jndeka, and there I again found the same 
priest saying mass in a convent of nuns. This 
priest, turning himself to the people at dominus 
vohiscum, perceived me, knowing he was disco- 

G g vered, 



338 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

vered, he became seized with such an excessive 
fear and restlessness, during the rest of the mass, 
that he scarcely knew or minded what he said, he 
left out some of the accustomed collects and bene- 
dictions, and after he had consecrated the cup, he 
forgot to lift it up on high for the people to wor- 
ship it, according to custom* As soon as he had 
made an end of saying mass, he put off his ha- 
bit with an extraordinary precipitance, and taking 
his hat and cloak, ran away without ever demand- 
ing his money for the mass he had said. I could 
easily have caused him to be seized ; but know- 
ing it to be a matter belonging to the inquisition* 
and having never had any liking for that tribu- 
nal, I would not concern myself with it. Be- 
sides, I knew that he was not the only man, that 
was guilty of this fault, but that many others 
committed the same every day. My Pen is wea- 
ry of setting down all those infamous and scan 
dalous actions; but yet, because there is no evil 
from whence some great good may not be drawn, 
I heartily wish, Sir, that from what I have here 
written, as well as in all my other Letters, you 
may, at least, derive this benefit, to be convinced, 
that the first argument which put me upon writ- 
ing these Letters, and upon which you rely so 
much for your confirmation in the Romish religi- 
on, is a very poor, weak, and dangerous one, viz* 
That it is impossible, that such a great number 
of monks and priests, who sit at the helm of your 
church, should be all of them in an error, and 
consequently, that they may be very safely re- 
lied upon. This is one of those arguments we call 
circulous vitiosus, a vicious or faulty circle. The 
seculars repose themselves in matters of faith up- 
on the priests and monks; and, if we divide the 
priests and monks, as they divide them at Rome, 
viz. into priests on this side, and on the other 
side the alps; we find that the latter rely on the 

former 



OF CORRUPTION, $c. m 
former who are Italians, and these again, repose 
themselves wholly on those at Rome, that it, up- 
on that number of ecclesiastics that are abont the 
Pope, and who, in their opinion, pass for very 
great doctors. Now these again on the other hand, 
do not rely so much upon their own science or 
learning, which they know to be very mean, as. 
upon the great number of priests and seculars, 
who believe them. This made one of their great 
preachers declare from the pulpit, That it was 
an invincible argument to prove the truth of tran- 
substantiation, because there teas such a vast num- 
ber of those who believed, in comparison of the 
inconsiderable number that denied it: that their 
catholics being twenty to one, were to be account* 
ed as the strongest, so the truest. 

I shall not employ my time here to shew, how 
weak and frivolous those arguments are, that are 
drawn either from the number, or dignity of the 
persons that profess it. It shall suffice me, that I 
have exposed to your view the discovery I have 
made of the unfaithfulness and falseness of your 
pastors, and how much it is their outward interest 
to abuse you, and to deceive themselves whilst 
they impose upon you. For as they are well- 
pleased to be made use of by the multitude, as an 
argument to enforce their belief; so God suifers 
them to make the same multitude, an argument 
to confirm their own belief. If one blind man 
leads another, they must both of them fall into 
the ditch ; and if one leads twenty, they must 
still undergo the same fate. It is a much surer 
way for us to rely upon something we know to 
be fixed and solid (as we know r the Scripture to 
be, and to endeavour to penetrate the true sense 
thereof,) than to repose one's confidence upon 
men, who being blinded by their interests, or 
passions, may afterwards deceive us for company. 

I shall conclude this account of my journey, or 
G g 2 rather 



§40 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

rather the remarks I have made during- my stay in 
Italy, with the recital of some small circum- 
stances, which deserve to be taken notice of* 
From Milan, I took my journey, towards the 
Lake de Como, where I embarked to go to the 
Valteline ; and from thence, I again passed over 
the Mountain Splug, where (in my way) I gave a 
visit to the curate of Campodolcino, my okl ac- 
quaintance, who was a doctor of Milan* He mm 
much surprized to see me there again, and espe- 
cially when he undersood by me, that my inten- 
tion was to take another journey through the 
country of the Grisons into Switzerland. He ad- 
vised me very seriously to beware of the heretics, 
and to converse with them as little and as cauti- 
ously as might be« I told him, it would be a very 
difficult task to avoid their conversation in a coun- 
try where they are every where mixed with the 
Catholics, or so much as to know and discern 
them. Whereupon he told me, that I might ea- 
sily discern them by thoir manner of discourse ; 
Ear (said he) yon shall not be a quarter of an 
hour iv any of their company, but you shall hear 
these words coming from them ; the purity of the 
gospel; the liberty of the children of God; the 
written truth ; the testimony of Jesus Christ, and 
other like expressions, tending to exalt the Holy 
Scripture above the authority of the See of Home. 
But this notion the doctor gave me of Protestants, 
was so far from giving me an undervaluing con- 
ceit of them, that on the contrary, I took notice 
of something' very pleasing and excellent in it, 
and which rendered them the more amiable in my 
eyes. 

And as I was passing over the Alps, meditating 
on the description the doctor had given me of the 
Protestaits, I conceived, that what was an objec- 
tion to them as a crime, might very well be look- 
ed upon as an apology for them. Whilst my mind 

was 



OF CORRUPTION, 0& 341 

was taken up with those thoughts, I perceived a- 
far off, a company of little children, who came 
running' towards ine from a little hamlet, upon 
the mountain, to beg' an alms of me. I observed 
that these children begged only in the name of 
God, and for the love of Jesns Christ, by which 
I knew them to be Protestants. And though I 
was not so well stored with money to be libe- 
ral to them, yet they were very thankful for the 
little 1 gave them, and returned peaceably to the 
village, having first bestowed a thousand bless- 
ings upon me* As I travelled forwards, and was 
commg down the mountain, I met with another 
small ham?e% from whence, also, came forth a 
company of eh Mren upon Hie same design as { he 
former; but that form of begg'ng was very dif- 
ferent; for they entreated my charity for the love 
of the Blessed Virflhf, of S. Anthony of Padra, 
and the souls oj pvrcjatory. Neither were they 
contented with the small gift I had bestowed up- 
on the other children, but followed me with great 
importunity above a quarter of a league, repeat- 
ing' a great number of ape maries, and prayers 
for the dead; and after all, seeing- they could 
get no more of me, they changed their prayers 
into a thousand curses, and took up stones which 
they flung at me. I perceived by this action, that 
these little Catholics were not so well taught and 
educated as the children of Protestants; and that 
the doctrine instilled into them, did not produce 
so good fruit, as the purity of (he gospel did in 
others. In this manner I continued my journey 
through the country of the Grisons, and of the 
Swizzers; and without tying myself to observe 
the advice of the curate of Campodolelno, I in- 
differently conversed with the Protestants and 
Catholics. 

I know it is a difficult thing for people of a dif- 
j ferent religion (though living under the same 

Jaws 



842 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

laws and government, as the Swizzes are) per- 
fectly to love one another. However, I observed, 
that the Papists speak with a great deal more of 
bitterness against the Protestants, than the Pro- 
testants did against them, though indeed these lat- 
ter had much more reason so to do, for it was at 
the time when the persecution was carried on 
against the Protestants, with a great deal of fu- 
ry. I was much edified with the example of seve- 
ral French Protestants, fled into Switzerland, who 
were so far from complaining of the miseries 
they had suffered, that they exhorted one another 
(with words of Holy Scriptures to bear patiently 
those further sufferings their exile might expose 
them to. Neither could they endure to hear, others 
speak ill of their persecutors, and testified them- 
selves to desire nothing more, than that it would 
please God to pardon and couvert them. There 
was an old gentleman, who in my hearing, with 
a great deal of charity reproved a young French 
soldier for being transported into passion against 
the French ; asking him, Whether the reading of 
the Holy Bible, had taught him so to do ? The 
young man was dashed with this check, and de- 
sired him, to excuse a fault he had committed, 
by the regret he had, to see himself reduced to 
the condition of a soldier's life, for a poor sub- 
sistance, after having lost all his estate in France. 

When I was in Sicitzerland, and so near to 
Geneva, I resolved to spend three or four days 
there. I was lodged at the house of a good wi- 
dow, who was a very zealous Protestant, and by 
this occasion, found myself many times engaged, 
to dispute about matters of religion : and foras- 
much as I was then maintaining a weak cause, I 
found the arguments put to me to be very strong, 
and though I did not immediately give up the 
cudgels, yet those I discoursed with, took no- 
tice of the moderation wherewith I gave my an- 
swers 



OF CORRUPTION, m 
swers; which made one of- the ministers who was 
then present, say, That it were greatly to be 
wished, that all the priests of Rome, had the 
same command of their spirits; because, by this 
means, truth would have the better opportunity of 
discovering herself unto them ; but that common- 
ly, by their scornful and injurious expressions, they 
broke off all disputes as soon as they found them- 
selves pinched with the evidence of truth. The 
truth is, they behaved themselves towards me, with a 
great deal of kindness and civility, and after the 
dispute was over, a fine collation was dressed up, to 
which they invited me, desiring only of me (by a 
kind of secret reproach, which did not displease 
me, because 1 knew it to be just) that I would be 
pleased to make this reflection upon their car- 
riage, that their spirit was not like that of the Pa- 
pists: For (they say) Sir, you know very well, 
that if' we had disputed as much either in France 
or Italy, to maintain our faith, as you have done 
here to defend yours ; we should have been abus- 
ed, clapped up into prison, yea, and burnt alive ; 
but as for us, we arc so far from having any 
recourse to such barbarous and horrid means, 
that we do not so much as upon that account think 
the worse of you: neither shall you perceive any 
thing from us, but the kindest entertainment we 
are able to afford you. I cannot but own, that 
I found in this their behaviour something of that 
spirit of beneficence and swee f vess, wherewith 
sus Christ, and his first preachers of the faith, did 
convert such crouds of infidels and sinners. The 
idea whereof, has been ever since impressed on 
my mind, and put me upon applying myself to the 
reading of the writings of the Pro' est ants, and to 
weigh their reasons with a more unbiassed tem- 
per, and having found them solid, and founded 
on the word of God, and the practice of the re- 
formed churches, conform to those of the first 

ages 



844 THE EIGHTH LETTER, 

ages of the church, God had been pleased to give 
me his grace, to dispose my will to embrace it? 
by adjuring ail the errors of the Church of Rome, 
which I have, and utterly do renounce from my 
heart, and wish you, (in Christian charity) the 
same happiness, as being-, 

Sir, 

Your most affectionate, $-c» 



FINIS. 



George Pigc-tt, Printer* 60, Old Street, London. 



ERRATA. 



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